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WAYNEDALE PICNIC SEES LARGEST TURNOUT EVER!

Lead singer Heather Schwartz of band ‘Loud Mouth Soup’ dances with a guest on the main stage.  -photo by Espy Video Production, www.michaelespy.comAnd just like that, the 13th Annual Waynedale Community Picnic, has come and gone. My first year as event coordinator was a whirlwind of fun and excitement! It was an amazing experience to watch so many people come together in one place and enjoy each other’s company. The Waynedale Community is a vibrant place full of residents who truly care about the place where they live. This was proven to me this past Saturday as I watched the picnic unfold. From seeing kids enjoying the splashpad, to watching families and neighbors enjoying their lunches together it was a day filled with togetherness and community building!

Putting together an event of this size is no small task, but it was apparent that the work paid off as I reflected on what the Waynedale Community Picnic brought to the people of this area. The smiles and laughter that I was privileged to witness for an entire afternoon were testimony to the purpose behind why we host the picnic each year in Waynedale. We are proud to announce that this year we had a record number of attendees; topping out at around 2,000 people. Wow! This simply means that we had the opportunity to reach out to even more people from the community this year and help provide them with a day of enjoyment and entertainment.

I have a huge amount of thanks to give to the two people who were the legs behind such a wonderful event: Alex Cornwell and Cheryl Connett. Our small, but mighty, team of organizers worked tirelessly throughout the spring and summer to ensure that the Waynedale Community Picnic was a day to remember for those who attended. Of course, an event like this for the community also means that many, many volunteers are needed to help make the day run smoothly. From 7am-7pm the volunteers gave of their time and energy and we cannot thank them enough for the hard work they put in and the efforts they went to for the sake of the picnic.

It would behoove me to also take this time to thank our ever-so-generous sponsors and vendors who helped make the picnic a reality. All the work in the world can go into planning an event such as the Waynedale Community Picnic, but without the support of our local businesses and organizations we simply could not accomplish what we did with the picnic this year.

Just over 115 Waynedale businesses came together to support and sponsor the picnic this year. Our sponsors impacted every facet of the day. From pizza sponsored by Pizza Hut, to the music and sound equipment donated and operated by Circle City Audio, to the generous support of Hanson Aggregates, GraphX and JW Signs, to the intricate planning and promotional support of The Waynedale News, I am incredibly thankful! On top of our sponsors, more than 40 area businesses came out to be vendors and spend the day at the park visiting with the community and sharing in the excitement of the day.

Needless to say, this past spring, when I was approached about taking over the coordination and planning of the picnic, I accepted without realizing what a wonderful opportunity I was truly being given. I am honored that I was asked to take on such an important task for the Waynedale community and it is from the planning of the event and the picnic itself that I have gotten a huge amount of joy. Thank you, Waynedale!

For more information about the picnic and to see photos and videos from the event, please visit www.waynedale.com/picnic

The Waynedale News Staff
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