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Weather, Crowd Make Spinners Show a Big Success; Julie Estall Wins Spirit of Spinners Award

A huge thanks to these businesses who helped sponsor this year’s 40th annual event.

By Gerri Miller

Elmore/Autauga News

The weather was perfect and there was a large crowd for the Spinners 40th Pumpkin Patch Arts and Craft Show on Saturday and Sunday.

A total of 104 vendors sold everything from honey, jewelry, makeup, woodworks, candles, art and pottery to wreaths, children’s toys, soaps and lotions. There was a variety of food truck vendors selling delicious dishes ranging from stir fry and gyros to onion petals and freshly-squeezed lemonade. There were inflatables for children and families and a playground.

Laura Thornton, president of the Spinners Club, estimated that somewhere between 5,000 and 8,000 people streamed through during the two-day event. “We are so pleased with the outcome-it is an outdoor event and of course, we can’t control the weather.  Some years it has been too cold and some years too hot, but this weekend was absolutely perfect weather,” she said.

Thornton said that after expenses, money raised from the event will be used to fund grant requests from community organizations.  In previous years, the money raise has funded everything from library needs to the River Region Pregnancy Center and flashlights for emergency medical technicians.

“The money goes for anything that serves a wide range of the community,” Thornton said. “We welcome any group in the future to submit grant requests. Thornton said the organization tries to give at least $1,000 to each grant recipient.

The organization sold 3,000 raffle tickets at $1 each and the prize was a fall-inspired quilt pieced and quilted by Spinners members that was truly a work of art. They also raffled off other items such as gift baskets and gave away a variety of door prizes.

Each year the organization also gives an award to an outstanding community volunteer. Mayor Bill Gillespie gave the 2021 Spirit of Spinners Award to Julie Estall. Estall has an online crochet business called “Fearfully and Wonderfully Made.” Profits from her orders are split between the River Region Pregnancy Center in Prattville and the Four Corner Ministries in Opelika, which ministers to people in Northern Uganda.

Estall has also been a volunteer at the River Region Pregnancy Center for just over four years. She said she loves building relationships with the organization’s clients by offering truth and love.

“I’ve done everything from holding a foot during an ultrasound when a hand couldn’t be reached, to being a birth coach for a client, to going to a clients’ wedding. I am blessed by all of our clients at RRPC and a I am thankful to be able to make a small difference in their lives,” Estall said.

The Prattville Spinners have been uniting local women while contributing to the community through volunteer work and financial support since 1951.

The Spinners Club currently has 12 active members but is looking for new members. Thornton said it is a misconception that everyone in the club quilts or sews.  “We don’t all quilt but we do have three to four women who do quilting.”

“Any woman aged 21 or over who is willing to work on projects to benefit the community is welcome,” she said. The group meets every fourth Thursday.

“Our founding members picked the spinning wheel as the logo because like the women, it is always busy and in motion,” Thornton said.

Linda DeVenecia is the incoming president of the Spinners’ Club. You can e-mail Linda at
lindevenecia@gmail.com

“Any woman aged 21 or over who is willing to work on projects to benefit the community is welcome,” she said. The group meets every fourth Thursday.

“Our founding members picked the spinning wheel as the logo because like the women, it is always busy and in motion,” Thornton said.

Linda DeVenecia is the incoming president of the Spinners’ Club. You can e-mail Linda at
lindevenecia@gmail.com

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