By Bobby Liberatos
Correspondent
Hundreds of people from the College and surrounding communities gathered near Trenton Hall lawn on Sept. 21 for Community Fest, an annual event which focuses on bringing together the larger local area.
One of the goals of Community Fest is to bring the campus and local community together. Ninety-nine vendors, plus numerous food sellers attended Community Fest this year and had the opportunity to table and spread the word on what they do. The event featured family events as well, including bouncy houses and other inflatables.
Ewing Councilwoman Jennifer Keyes-Maloney, who helps to run the event and used to work at the College, said Community Fest has “been going on for just over 30 years.”
The event is a huge undertaking and takes a lot of effort and planning, according to Maloney. It is jointly planned by three entities: the College, the Ewing Township School District and Ewing Township.
“Everybody puts in a little bit and helps make it work,” said Maloney.
One organization featured was the College’s Meals on Wheels, which focuses on delivering nutritional services to homebound, isolated older adults who lack family support or have restrictions preventing them from preparing their own food. Additionally, the program raises funds for pet pantries to ensure seniors and their pets remain healthy and together.
Students at the College can support Meals on Wheels by volunteering. Even just a volunteer's presence is a help, according to Aylin Islamivoya, a senior accounting major who is the outreach coordinator for the College’s Meals On Wheels chapter.
“It sounds cheesy, but knowing you made a difference in someone's day is amazing because oftentimes, these seniors, you might be the only person they see in one day,” said Islamivoya.
Another organization that was at the event was the Ewing Public Schools Foundation, which aims to support the educational needs of Ewing public schools by engaging in fundraising activities.
The foundation works to provide scholarships and funding for innovative projects that exceed the school's budget. For example, it funded a culinary team project at a school, during which 3D printers created chocolate designs that were later served to students.
Alisha Pollard, president of the Ewing Public Education Foundation, said it was “like the Willy Wonka Factory was brought to Ewing.”
Community Fest brought in throngs of people throughout the day, and student organizations were able to gain exposure in the community.
