EASTON, Pa. — With several bags of strawberries, pies and other treats at her feet, Bernadette Stoll sat on a curb for a much-needed rest.
Standing beside Stoll was her 6-year-old niece, Ellie, whose pinkish cheeks were surpassed only by the pink juice of a large strawberry that dribbled down her chin and onto her plain white T-shirt.
Stoll, of Easton, had spent the previous two hours leisurely walking at the Easton Farmers Market Strawberry Day at Scott Park when it was time to drop anchor.
- Lehigh Valley residents jammed the Easton Farmers Market Strawberry Day at Scott Park on Saturday
- Local farmers and businesses sold their wares at the 271-year event
- Donations were also taken to help 44 individuals displaced by a fire on Ferry Street on Memorial Day that gutted 15-row homes
“We’ve been going all morning here, so we just needed to stop for a bit,” Stoll said. “This is such a wonderful event, with so much to do and see and eat. We have one more stop, to get Ellie ice cream, and then we’ll be heading out.”
Ellie quickly disagreed.
“We still have to go help the fire people! We have to!”Ellie, a little girl at Easton Farmers Market Strawberry Festival
“No, Aunt Bern!” the little girl cried. “We still have to go help the fire people! We have to!”
And with that, Bernadette and Ellie made their way toward an information tent to make a donation to the Ferry Street Fire Fund.
'People today have been very generous'
The fund is coordinated by the Greater Lehigh Valley United Way and Greater Easton Development Partnership. It will benefit the 44 individuals and families displaced by a six-alarm fire that destroyed 15-row homes in the 900 block of Ferry Street on Memorial Day.
“We all have families so we can relate to what happened to those families in the fire. People today have been very generous."<br/>Karen Kapral, volunteer, Easton Farmers Market
Karen Kapral, a farmers market volunteer, was working at the donation tent.
“We all have families, so we can relate to what happened to those families in the fire,” she said. “People today have been very generous."
As Kapral talked about the folks whose homes were gutted by the blaze, the emotion of the moment struck her.
“They lost everything,” she said, choking up and pushing a hand against her chest. “I can’t imagine. But the support for them has been overwhelming.”
Residents of the Lehigh Valley have opened their hearts and wallets to assist those displaced by the fire.
Laura McHugh, vice president of marketing and communications for United Way of Greater Lehigh Valley, reported Friday the organization has received $15,000 in online donations alone.
“We also have commitments verbally from multiple partners — organizations, companies, and individuals — planning to donate or do their own fundraising and then donate to United Way,” McHugh said.
McHugh said the funding United Way receives is disbursed first to housing providers, such as Third Street Alliance for Women & Children in Easton and The Lehigh Conference of Churches in Allentown.
McHugh reported the 44 residents affected by the fire consisted of 27 adults, 12 children and five seniors.00
'Busiest day of the year'
Goodness was the word of the day — whether it meant donating to a worthy cause or buying locally grown produce and baked goods along the long corridor of tents and trucks at the event.
Presented by Capital Blue, Strawberry Day was a beehive of activity, with food and drinks, live music, and even a live stage performance of William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” by the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival.
The strawberry-infused treats ran the gamut, from cakes and pies to muffins, jam, cupcakes, cookies, ice cream, lattes, tarts, sausage, rolls, granola, crepes, lemonade, Slushies and even pasta.
"The warm, dry weather this season has been perfect for growing strawberries. It’s been a great day.”Easton Market District Director Megan McBride
Easton Market District Director Megan McBride, who is in her 16th year as manager of the 271-year-old event, said the weather and the community have fully cooperated.
“This is our busiest day of the year for the market,” McBride said. “This is always a great event.
“And the warm, dry weather this season has been perfect for growing strawberries. It’s been a great day.”
'We can hardly understand'
Jessie Greenlee of Easton, with 10-year-old rescue dog Lucy in tow, bought several bags of strawberries and vegetables. The items are ticketed for her kitchen to make pastries.
Marge Moyer of Allentown bought four baskets of strawberries.
“I use them to make smoothies,” Moyer said. “You can’t beat locally grown.”
And it’s hard to beat the showing of caring of the Lehigh Valley when it comes to donating to help folks they likely don't even know.
“We can hardly understand what those people are going through right now. We’re just happy to be able to help in some small way."Tom, a customer who made a donation to Easton's fire victims, at the Strawberry Festival
Tom — he chose not to disclose his surname — and his wife stopped at the Ferry Street Fire Fund donation tent. In his hand was a roll of bills. He peeled off a crisp $100 bill and inserted it into the donation box.
“We can hardly understand what those people are going through right now,” Tom said. “We’re just happy to be able to help in some small way.”
Because, in the cries of a little girl sweeter than the strawberry juice dripping onto her shirt, “We have to.”
Donations to the Ferry Street Fire Fund can be made here or via mail (checks payable to UWGLV, 1110 American Parkway NE, Suite F-120, Allentown, PA 18109 - attention “Ferry Street Fire Fund”). Or text “EASTON” to 40403.
