STRAWBERRIES, SPELLING BEE BRINGS CROWD

BY DIANA SCHWEITZER

CANBY HERALD

July 5, 2003

    Fresh strawberries and live music drew a large crowd to the Aurora Colony Museum last Sunday for the 33rd annual Aurora Strawberry Social.

    With temperatures reaching into the 90s, the ice cream melted fast, however it didn't seem to detour many from the June 29 event.

    "It went very will, we were pleased," said Joan Jacobs, executive director of the museum. "We had a steady stream of people."

    The event, held from noon to 4 pm, brought 629 people to eat fresh Oregon strawberries, with ice cream served over biscuit and cake.

    People of all ages socialized as they ate the ice cream in the courtyard of the museum.

    After eating the strawberries, many visitors toured the museum buildings including the Kraus house and the Steinbach log cabin.

    Visitors were also able to experience a little bit of Aurora history through spinning wheel demonstrations done by the Aurora Colony Handspinners Guild, and quilting demonstrations by the Aurora Colony Quilters.

    "We had new visitors that commented on the building and the museum," said Jacobs. "It's always nice to have exposure of our exhibits to new people."

    There were lots of first time visitors at the social, as well as others who make this an annual event. 

    Janus Childs, a tour guide at the museum, said for some people this may be the only time they visit the museum in the whole year.

    "It's a real popular event and people come just for this," she added. "Weather doesn't play a part in its popularity."

    In the 33 years the social has occurred, it has rained only once.

    The record number of attendees ever was 1,400 people. This year's attendance of 629 people is just a hair under the 700 which attended last year.

    Jacobs said the heat may have prevented some from coming, as a lot of senior citizens come to the social, and they are more sensitive to the heat.

    Visitors to the museum tapped their feet and commented on the live music performed by 25 members of the Oregon Old Time Fiddlers Association.

    "It's pretty here... with the butterfly bushes and the music," said Shirley Rademaker of Woodburn.

    This was the first year she and her husband Cliff had some to the social.

    "We have some every year for the past few years," said Chere Moore whose family volunteers at the museum. "Some years we set up chairs, others we take them down."

    Another thing on display for visitors to see was the raffle quilt.

    Raffle tickets were sold raising $273 that day.

    The Aurora Herb Society was also on hand for the event, selling scented oils, cookbooks, soaps, and other items make of herbs, or herb related, to fund-raise for guest speakers and publishing their newsletter.

    Besides the many attendees who came to tour the museum eat strawberries and hear music, there was also many volunteers.

    "A lot of hard work by many volunteers went into the event," said Jacobs.

    Volunteers with Portland General Electric and the historical society totaled 46. They served the strawberry shortcake, ice cream, and strawberries to the guests.

    The Strawberry Social was financially sponsored by a grant from Portland General Electric which provided cash and volunteers to work at the event.

    Other sponsors included Cutsforths Thriftway, of Canby; Remember When Antiques and Edibles, of Aurora; and Scenic Fruit Inc., of Gresham; who all gave discounts to the Aurora Historical Society for the items needed to make the strawberry desserts.

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