MIKE CARROLL/PLAINSMAN Members of Girl Scout Group 46229 in Huron stand with the scarecrows they created for the 15th annual Great Scarecrow and Decorated Pumpkin Festival on Thursday afternoon at Campbell Park.

By ROGER KASA

OF THE PLAINSMAN

Forty entries are expected for the 15th annual Great Scarecrow and Decorated Pumpkin Festival that officially got under way in Campbell Park Thursday night.

Sponsored by the Huron Lions and Lioness clubs, the various entries were being set up on Thursday with viewing beginning at 7 p.m.

Public viewing of the various exhibits are planned for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Gene and Sheron Chapman and Jim and Dianne Gropper are co-chairmen of the event.

The awards ceremony will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday in Campbell Park. Lee Klocke will be the master of ceremonies for the awards’ ceremony, assisted by Carrie Wintle, Miss South Dakota Outstanding Teen 2008.

Judging the scarecrows will be Doug Dutenhoeffer of the Plainsman, Linda Burg of the Beadle County Extension Center, and Megan Banker of the Huron chamber.

The decorated pumpkins will be judged by Jackie Spillum, Sherry Fuglsang Van Doren and Bev Erdahl, members of the Retired Teachers Association.

The Huron Lions and Lioness clubs have donated $1,100 to be awarded to the youth winners. Traveling trophies will be given to the Adult/Commercial/Organization winners.

The first place winners in the Decorated Pumpkin division will receive Savings Bonds donated by American Bank and Trust, Bank of the West, Huron Area Education Federal Credit Union and Farmers and Merchants branch of First National Bank.

Jack DeDeyne has donated a camper that is parked at Campbell Park and used by club members who will be providing 24-hour security.

The exhibits will be available for viewing 24-hours a day.

Mrs. Gropper said the people who view the exhibits are invited to cast their vote for their favorite. A People’s Choice award will be given at Sunday’s ceremony.

Gropper also took note of an article that was published in the October, 2008 edition of The Lion, the official publication of Lions International.

The article was submitted by Mrs. Gropper about the annual Scarecrow Festival.

The publication is distributed to 1.3 million Lion members in 202 countries around the world.

She said the local clubs are proud that the community service project is deemed worthy for such recognition by Lions International.

The Largest Sunflower Contest, sponsored by the Huron Chamber’s Agriculture Committee also is part of the festivities.

Randy Richards said one large sunflower was entered Thursday by Joe and Donna Hofer of Huron.

The sunflower contest is co-sponsored by Pannar Seed and Sunbird, Inc.

The contest will have three divisions – adult, teen and youth with the first place winner in each receiving Huron Bucks.

Gropper said entries for the Great Scarecrow competition had to be set up by 7 p.m. Thursday. But decorated pumpkins can be entered until Saturday noon.

The decorated pumpkins are being displayed in the bandshell.