West River Farmers Market thanks Flood Brook School for hospitality

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Members of the board of the West River Farmers Market on Tuesday presented Flood Brook School Principal Johanna Liskowsky-Doak with a bouquet of flowers and a tote celebrating the market’s 30th anniversary.

Also presented was a thank you card signed by more than 45 vendors from the market.

The gesture was in appreciation of the school allowing the market to use school grounds for five of the six Saturdays it had to be relocated due to July 10 flood damage that forced the market from its usual location, Williams Park in downtown Londonderry.

The two board members who presented the gifts were Londonderry resident Amber Miller, of Bless Up Farm, and Landgrove resident Sara Greenfield, of Tarpley Farm, who grew the flowers.

Also recognized with a tote was Ryan Comar, the building lead in the school’s operations staff, who was not in attendance.

Just days after the flood, Miller, whose children attend the school,  approached Liskowsky-Doak for permission. The school was a logical choice since it had also hosted the market following damage from Tropical Storm Irene in August of 2011.

Liskowsky-Doak quickly agreed to the arrangement, and together with Comar, helped the market plan for tent set up and parking.

Greenfield, meanwhile, worked with Kelly Pajala of the Londonderry Parks Board, which was in charge of repairs to Williams Park.

While the town filled in deep holes, cut down damaged trees and planted grass seed, Greenfield, under the direction of Pajala, wrangled volunteers from the farmers market to help clean up debris from the site. This ensured that the market would be able to return before school went back into session, which it did on Saturday, Aug. 26.

 

*Editor’s Note: Cynthia Prairie is also president of the West River Farmers Market.