BY DELIA ATKINSON / TRUE DAKOTAN
The 11th annual Festival of Tables at the Wessington Springs Senior Citizen’s Center was a sold-out event. Due to additional requests for tickets, another table was added to the room, and twelve tables of eight were filled.
It was a joyful event to not only experience the beautiful table settings but also to visit with friends, neighbors and children of Wessington Springs residents who have moved out of the area and returned to enjoy the festival. The viewing of tables and catching up with table decorators began at 10:30 a.m. The nine table decorators introduced themselves and shared about their tables. Following the presentations, the meal, consisting of a chef’s salad, rolls and a lemon poke cake, was served.
For entertainment, Dunham Historical Society board member Jean Ferguson brought Extension Club items dating back to the 1950s and 1960s and shared the history of all the clubs in Jerauld County. One of the items she presented was a tablecloth with embroidered signatures of its members. There were only first names on the tablecloth but some of the attendees were able to identify the full names of various signatures for the museum’s records.
Throughout the event a silent auction was held with bidding closing at 1 p.m. Several of the items were donated by area businesses and members of the Senior Center. Due to the generosity of all involved in this event, the Festival of Tables had record-breaking attendance and funds raised. All money raised from this year’s annual tradition will go toward building maintenance at the Senior Center. As the building ages there has been a need to repair and update areas of the building to keep it safe for seniors to enjoy meals and recreation throughout the year.
Check your True Dakotan newspaper next April for information about the 12th annual Festival of Tables, the first Saturday in May 2025.
