October in the Rear View Mirror
Between Books, Spooks and Bocce, Norfolk Raced into Fall
October’s splendid weather brought book lovers, bocce players, runners and cyclists to Norfolk in record numbers over the course of several action-packed weekends. And that was before the members of the Norfolk Lions Club took over the kitchen at Botelle Elementary School to prepare for the annual lasagna dinner as a parade of ghouls, dinosaurs and princesses headed to the covered playground for this year’s Spooktacular. In short, there was something for everyone: a bit of culture, feats of athletic daring do, good food and Halloween silliness.
The Tour de Forest and Icebox Gravel bike rides held on Oct. 18 were an overwhelming success. The event, now in its seventh year, set a record of more than 100 riders. The proceeds of approximately $7,500 will be divided between Great Mountain Forest and Rails to Trails. Here, riders set off from the Curling Club.
Photo by Jennifer Almquist
Haystack Book Festival: The Haystack Book Festival brought booklovers galore to the Norfolk Library during the first weekend in October. Founder Michael Selleck and co-founder Stephen Melville, reported an “excellent turnout” for events and said overall attendance hit 480. Volunteer Tom Hlas, meanwhile, manned the book sale table and sold 138 books written by the featured speakers.
Photo by Avice Meehan
Bowling with Acorns: Eight teams competed in a good-natured bocce tournament—once the acorns were swept away, that is—on the bocce court behind 10 Station Place on Sunday, Oct. 5. Antonio Guindon, whose team failed to advance past the first round, bowls his best under the watchful gaze (from left) of Roger Johnson, Katka Jonsdottir Hannelova, Sean Sweeney and Lynn Sweeney
Photo by Avice Meehan
Spooktacular: Members of the Botelle Elementary School PTO served up slices of pizza (a costumed Jennifer Harrington among them) and other snacks while students and younger children played a variety of games.
Photos by Avice Meehan
