With cake, coffee, a couple of speeches, a proclamation, two goats, pumpkins for sale, beautiful blue skies overhead, and a ton of community spirit, the West Point-Highland Falls Farmers Market’s 20th anniversary was celebrated on Sunday morning.
The party was attended by many … mostly because the official anniversary recognition was going on. There were many people on hand buying apples, pumpkins, potatoes, honey, baked goods, crafts … and so much more. It made for a busy morning in the municipal parking lot across from Sacred Heart Church.
Market Manager Karen Parashkevov welcomed all to the “wonderful event”. Vision president Joanne Devereaux (Vision sponsors the market) also spoke, as did representatives of both the Town and Village Boards.
“When we first moved to this area, one of the things we first noticed was this farmers market,” Parashk-evov said. “”It was so local, and it was so wonderful, it was a real community market. As time went on I had an opportunity to participate; I volunteered in 2016 to be the manager. With that, we decided to further enhance and further expand an already thriving market.”
She said a committee was formed to do so, and introduced them: Devereaux, Olga Anderson (special events), Mary Ann Wilson (marketing), Thalia Matthews (website and graphics), Denise Krupp (set up).
Bill Edsall was also lauded, for his support in hauling the books back and forth to the market each week. The popular book sales help support Vision.
She said that weekly events and specials have been expanded, the live music has been added, and the children’s area, ready to go foods, photo opportunities and a cookbook have been added. Parashkevov said they have also recently become a place to donate cans and bottles (to benefit the center) and bring food scraps for composting, as they work to become a ‘greener market’.
“We also decided to expand our motto,” she said. “We’re not just a market, we’re an experience.”
The vendors were also thanked for participating each week– “we couldn’t do anything without them,” she said.
From the Town Board, Tyrone King and June Gunza, as well as the Village Board’s Brian Aylward and the Chamber of Commerce’s Jim Modlin also said a few words. All called it a benefit to the entire community and thanked Vision and the committee that makes it happen each week.
“This is just another example of all the great things in this community that bring us all together,” Modlin said.
Devereaux thanked the community for its support of both Vision and the market. She also thanked Pareshkevov.
“Karen’s organizational skills and her dedication and enthusiasm are to be applauded,” Devereaux said.
“In 1999 we started with this vision statement,” Devereaux said: “Vision, Town of Highlands is a community initiative to revitalize, enhance and improve the quality of life for the residents of the Town of Highlands. I believe that the farmers market has checked all of these boxes.”
Following the remarks, a feast was set out of foods prepared by Vision members, vendors and others, and a large cake was cut into.
