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Wallkill Valley Times, Wednesday, August 22, 2018
Small town America
Walker Valley celebrates Shawangunk Day
By LAURA FITZGERALD
[email protected]
People strolled through rows of tents
selling jewelry, wine, mushrooms, crafts,
jams and more in Walker Valley’s first
Shawangunk Day. Children jumped in
inflatable bounce houses. People piled
into a wooden wagon in front of Walker
Valley’s firehouse for a historic tour of
the town.
Sandy Damon, Shawangunk Day
Committee chair, said the event was to
recognize Walker Valley and share the
historical value of the area. The town
used to have a Shawangunk Day in the
hamlet of Wallkill, but the last event was
held before 2003.
The event was also a great way to bring
people in the community together.
“It’s important to get a community
together,” Damon said. “And this brings
the community together.”
Vendor chair Sue Wiand said the event
was also about showcasing everything
Walker Valley and Shawangunk have to
offer, enticing more people to visit the
area.
“It’s to let people know that, ‘Here
we are, let’s put ourselves on the map’,”
Wiand said.
About 60 vendors participated in
the event, coming from all over and
showcasing a wide variety of products.
“It’s a nice cross-cut of all the types of
vendors you wanna see,” Wiand said.
Lorene Mettler of Lucy Lu Crafts stood
behind a table littered with candles,
pillows, signs, crafts and more. She said
the event allowed her to meet new people,
one of her favorite parts of running her
own business.
Certified personal trainer Juliet Gould
said the event gave her business exposure
and let’s people see her face.
She also gave a resistance band
demonstration and Zumba class at the
event. She said she hoped people who
attended the class had fun and felt like
they accomplished something through
fitness.
Several non-profits and community
organizations also participated, such as
the Walker Valley Fire Department, a
local marc