UPDATED: AS OF FRIDAY MORNING, THIS EVENT WILL BE RELOCATED TO THE RBC FAIRGROUNDS.
MEEKER | This Saturday will mark the 16th anniversary of the Fall Festival, wherein community nonprofits have an opportunity to raise funds for their organizations and have those funds matched with Mountain Valley Bank’s “bank bucks.”
Every person who comes to the Fall Festival gets $5 in bank bucks just for showing up. People who bring non-perishable items for the Meeker Food Bank earn extra bucks. Those tokens can then be spent at various vendor booths on food or games suitable for kids or adults. New this year: Chicago dogs and cookie dough stands.
For the fitness minded, participate in the Pioneers Medical Center Scrub Shirt Classic 5K fun run/walk that starts at 9 a.m.
The bakers in town are encouraged to participate in the pie and cookie contest. Bring two pies and/or 18 cookies to Town Park between 9-10 a.m. Containers will not be returned. Proceeds will go to the Rio Blanco County 4-H Youth Fund.
Fall Festival fun gets started at 11 a.m. and continues until 2 p.m. at Town Park.
After the food and fun and prizes, vendors exchange bank bucks for real money from Mountain Valley Bank to go toward their organization or fund-raising event.
In 2019, about 700 people attended and 21 nonprofit/fundraising groups participated. $13,800 was raised for local nonprofits, $4,000 of which was Mountain Valley bank bucks.
“I am so proud that we can provide the community with a fun day as we see summer disappear in front of our eyes,” said bank president Tawny Halandras. “Meeker is a wonderful community and it is awesome to provide a venue that gives back and supports it at the same time.”
By NIKI TURNER | [email protected]
