DUNMORE - Crowds were watching Irish dancers jig and reel across a makeshift floor; clusters of people under white tents feasted on porketta and sausage-and-pepper sandwiches, funnel cakes, potato pancakes, ice cream and hot coffee; lines of people browsed the craft and auction tents.
The large number of people on hand for the closing day of St. Joseph's Center Auxiliary Summer Festival Sunday made it difficult to tell the weekend's crowd and fundraising numbers had been slightly dampened by Friday and Saturday's rain.
"The weather hampered us a bit, but today was awesome," said Sister Maryalice Jacquinot, I.H.M., president and CEO, as she was in the process of helping take down equipment on Marywood University's campus Sunday night.
After raising about $263,000 from the WNEP telethon and Joe Snedeker's Go Joe Bike Ride, Sister Jacquinot estimated the festival itself raised about $90,000, putting the group above its goal of $350,000 total.
All of the money raised goes to St. Joseph's Center, which is dedicated to family and adoption services, outpatient therapy, and extensive residential and community-based programs for children and adults diagnosed with intellectual disabilities.
Noreen and Jack Schofield of Scranton, who have been going to the festival on and off for the past 34 years, were back for their favorite fair foods and to find new reading material at the book tent.
It's an opportunity to see people they know, enjoy an evening of food and fun, as well as support a respected community establishment.
"It's a great cause; they do wonderful things," Mrs. Schofield said.
Angela Zanghi watched her daughter Maria perform show tunes with Gallucci Music School, then the two wandered around checking out the games of chance and the crafts.
She comes to support both the center and the children.
"It's big in the community - huge for the people in the area to come to," Ms. Zanghi said.
Even if the rain means smaller fundraising numbers, Sister Jacquinot said the public and the volunteers proved their dedication to the message and services of St. Joseph's Center.
"When you face challenges, at St. Joe's, we kind of measure success in effort. ... Our effort was 100 percent," she said.
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