Festivals raise funds for community services

It's time to roll out the barrel at Carson City Library's 10th annual Oktoberfest, held 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday at the Pony Express Pavilion.

Featuring live music by The Sauerkrauts of Reno, the fundraiser features beer, sausages, German wine, plenty of desserts and crafters. Admission is free, food and refreshments available for purchase.

"We want the community to come out and polka, we just haven't gotten them out there (to do it) yet," said Andrea Moore, community relations coordinator.

"What's great is the community and our sponsors come out to support us. It makes us feel good."

Needing to raise funds, Oktoberfest began 10 years ago after a bond failed through public vote to support the library's request for a 10,000-square-foot expansion and extend hours of operation.

"We're working with the city on redevelopment issues and several pieces of property (for a new location for the library)," said Sara Jones, director. "We are going to go to the voters in 2010 with some kind of bond initiative " a recent survey said 84 percent of voters want a centrally located, full-service library."

The Carson City Library offers books, free Internet use, word processing, access to online data base of 60,000 titles from homework help to medical research, with students accessing free online tutors through the library's Web site. Many of the library's services don't require a library card.

"These are hard economic times," Jones added. "We have DVDs, CDs, recreational reading material and reference sources. Especially for people looking for a new career, like just for where to begin."

Jones said 34,214 Carsonites have a library card, and the library has about 250,000 visits each year.

"That's about 1,000 people a day," Jones said.

"At the event, the Friends of the Library hold a book sale. In most recent years, the event has raised close to $10,000.

"It's a lot of work, but a lot of fun."

But that's not the only fall festival in town.

The University of Nevada, Reno Cooperative Extension is hosting its first Great 4-H Pumpkin Patch from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at Fuji Park.

The event features pumpkins, food, games, face painting, a petting zoo (goats, sheep, cow, rabbits), bounce house, balloon twists, and a shooting sports trailer.

Proceeds benefit the 4-H scholarship program.

"This is a project of our 4-H Leader Council," said Jim Barcellos, youth development liaison. "It's a scholarship fundraiser for graduating seniors in 4-H from Storey County and Carson City."

The scholarship is $500.

4-H is a youth development program, part of the UNR Cooperative Extension. It is a series of project clubs including livestock, photography, bunnies, guinea pigs and shooting sports. They can even create a project around an individual child's needs. It is open to all youth ages 9 to 19, with a special group called Cloverbuds for youth ages 5-8, which has competition limitations.

"We have curricula on numerous projects," Barcellos said. "And can create a project around a hobby or interest. Finding a leader is the hard part."

Between Storey County and Carson City, there are 15 clubs, with youth and adult partnership the focus. Barcellos said there are more than 200 youth active in 4-H and there is no cost to join.

In addition to pumpkins, the patch will have food vendors with chorizo, cotton candy and refreshments, and a cookie decorating booth.

Also offering gourds to the public is Seeliger Elementary School. Their annual event features crafters, games, bouncies and of course, pumpkins.

"We usually sell out of pumpkins," said Mike Walker, a third-grade teacher at Seeliger and event coordinator.

"There are new challenges each year, but it gets easier."

Walker said the Back to Broadway Kids from the BAC will present "School House Rock" at 10 a.m., with The Bootleggers performing live music at 11:30 a.m.

Seeliger's event includes a bake sale, cake walk and a cake decorating contest.

"We bring in nine bins of pumpkins," Walker said. "I don't know the actual number (of pumpkins), but it's a lot. The cost of a pumpkin is based on its size."

Funds are used to help provide teachers with supplies in the classroom and field trips.

"This is our 16th pumpkin patch," Walker added.

- Contact Rhonda Costa at rcosta@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1223.