Kudos to Beach Walk Location at Family Fun FestBy Anne McKay GarrisThe fun and excitement, doubtful weather, parking confusion and hard work of last week-end's Family Fun Fest, sponsored by the Clearwater Beach Association and Tampa Bay Harvest, is behind us. With over 90 venders, dozens of musicians and 110 volunteer workers from all over Pinellas County participating, the event was deemed a good beginning by everyone involved. Booths along Beach Walk on Clearwater Beach offered everything from exquisite jewelry and stained glass, to cookies and beer. Volunteer musicians, with a variety of music to offer, played throughout the event and asked to be invited back next year. Nor resting on their laurels, the committee met on Tuesday evening to start planning the next Family Fun Fest for October 22, 23, 24 of 2010. Participants were generous in their praise of the location beside the Gulf, and the friendliness and helpfulness of the volunteers. They asked for improvement in solving some parking problems for next year. Jay Keyes, president of the Clearwater Beach Association commented, "For its first year, I think the Family Fun Festival was fantastic. That two very diverse groups could get together and put the festival together in less than four months is a minor miracle. Clearwater Beach Association is a homeowners group and Tampa Bay Harvest is instrumental in ending hunger in our community. They worked in excellent harmony, aided by representatives from Religious Community Services and others with special talents to contribute." Rich Gonzalez, chairman of Tampa Bay Harvest, echoed Keyes sentiment. "It was beyond my expectations that this group came together to put on this event which will have such a profound effect on so many people in need of food," he said. The Festival steering committee, congratulated and applauded this year's successes, and went promptly to work on next year's event.
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