Families enjoy games, booths at school festival

Fri, Nov 21, 2008 (midnight)

Nicky Fuchs / Special to the Home News

Corden Jung, 4, takes a shot at the putting greens at Goolsby Elementary School’s Fall Festival.

Nicky Fuchs / Special to the Home News

Nicole Lee, 7, waits in anticipation while temporary tattoo artist Frank Hawley puts the finishing touches on her tattoo. The booth was one of many at Goolsby Elementary School's Fall Festival.

Nicky Fuchs / Special to the Home News

Aidan Grodin, 5, admires the prize he picked after his success during one of the many games at Goolsby Elementary School's Fall Festival.

The campus at Judy and John Goolsby Elementary School was buzzing on Saturday for the inaugural Fall Festival and Shopping Expo, an event that drew more than 700 guests who enjoyed a variety of games, food and holiday shopping.

The event raised more than $10,000 for Goolsby Elementary programs, said Jennifer Felger of the Goolsby Parent Leadership Team.

"We wanted to do something involving shopping and the holidays coming up," Felger said. "We're very happy with the results."

Inside the multipurpose room, more than 20 vendors sold everything from gift baskets to jewelry, candles, toys and beauty products.

Among the businesses that participated were Lia Sophia Jewelry, Starbucks and Discovery Toys.

Principal Lorraine Blume said Goolsby welcomed the extra money, especially in light of district-wide budget cuts.

"Our funds have been cut back pretty significantly," Blume said. "We've never dealt with budget cuts of this level before."

Outside the multipurpose room, children and adults enjoyed a variety of games such as Spider Toss and Gone Fishing. Some even flexed their vocal skills at a karaoke booth.

The festivities also included balloon artists and a performance by the Goolsby Elementary Cheerleaders. Refreshments included pizza, nachos, kettle corn, cotton candy and baked apples.

"I won a goldfish," said 4-year-old Rykan White.

His 8-year-old brother Danny proclaimed that "mini golf" was his favorite game at the Fall Fest.

But when he's in the classroom as a third grader at Goolsby, he keeps busy.

"We're learning repeated subtraction," Danny said. "I like it. But I don't really like math."

Jeff O’Brien can be reached at 990-8957 or jeff.obrien@hbcpub.com.