Verona celebrates summer with free afternoon lunch and music

Craig Bakay | Aug 08, 2018

It seems the Verona Community Association just can’t not let summer pass without some sort of get-together.

This year, it was Verona Celebrates Summer in the Village, last Sunday at the Lions Hall complex. The food was free (hot dogs, ice cream and vegetarian pizza donated by Gino’s in Harrowsmith), as was the music (The KingsTown Tenors).

“Last year, we had the ecumenical service,” said co-organizer Linda Bates. “This is the first year we’ve done this.

“We like to do something.”

Bates said they used to do Music in the Park at McMullen Beach, but felt they needed a bigger space.

“We needed more room for the barbecue, the train and crafts,” she said. “By having the barbecue out here, all the mess stays outside and then we can move indoors for music.”

Bates said this won’t be the last summer event in Verona, pointing out that they’ll be hosting the annual car show next weekend (Aug. 12).

Sixteen volunteers manned the event, but there was another aspect to this gathering.

Supervisor Melissa Elliott brought the EarlyON program to the Verona event.

“We operate six days a week and there will be a permanent place in Sydenham shortly,” she said. “But we will bring programs to north of Hwy. 7.

“Right now, we’re going to many events like this one to advertise the program.

“We put the stuff out (crafts and games), the kids come over and then we get to talk to the parents.”