The Delran Elementary School PTO brings back its fall festival Friday at the middle school.
The event is free, but families must donate canned goods to get in. Activities will include pumpkin painting and a teacher read aloud. A photo area will be set up for pictures with props and Bear Wear school apparel will be sold. Children can visit an estimation station to guess the number of items in a specific container.
“The festival is a family fun night,” said PTO board member Peggy Schweikert-Kavalkovich. “We’ve had to tailor back the event for the past few years, but we’re ready to build it back up after this year.”
The festival is the PTO’s first big event since COVID, and a skate night was held in the spring to evoke a sense of normalcy.
“The PTO runs on membership,” noted Schweikert-Kavalkovich, who added that the festival has existed for close to 20 years. “During COVID, we couldn’t use the schools for events. Our membership went down from 800 people to 143.”
The organization funds Delran Elementary activities like field day to help recruit more members.
“We are limited to what we can do,” Schweikert-Kavalkovich added. “People are still afraid to come out after the pandemic.”
The township district has two separate parent organizations: The Delran Elementary PTO represents the elementary and intermediate schools, and the PTA is in charge of the middle and high schools. But both groups work together to plan school events.
“It’s a great community organizer,” Schweikert-Kavalkovich said of the festival. “Residents can see people they haven’t seen, and students can see their teachers outside of school.”
She added that younger kids who haven’t been able to attend the festival in previous years or may not remember it can make crafts and have snacks at the event. The festival is also an opportunity for the community to show appreciation for the Knights of Columbus food pantry in Delran.
“People can give back by donating cans,” Schweikert-Kavalkovich pointed out. “It’s a great event for the whole family.”
The fall festival will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. The middle school is at 905 S. Chester Ave.
