To the Editor:

Hollis Strawberry Festival – “How Sweet It Is!”

The Hollis Woman’s Club and the Hollis Town Band held their annual Strawberry Festival on Sunday, June 24, on the Hollis Town Common.

The Hollis Woman’s Club cleaned, hulled, sliced and sugared 336 quarts of strawberries from Brookdale Fruit Farm and Lull Farm in Hollis. The club baked 88 pans of shortcake, whipped 65 quarts of heavy cream and scooped up 42 gallons of Doc Davis vanilla ice cream.

The Hollis Town Band performed a two-hour concert to the enjoyment of their patrons. Mother Nature provided a beautiful, sunny day with gentle breezes. This is the recipe for a very sweet and successful 2012 Strawberry Festival.

Each year, for more than 60 years, the Hollis Strawberry Festival adds something to our community by bringing people together to enjoy great music and delicious desserts.

This year, the Hollis Brookline High School Robotics The Force Team 1073 dazzled the crowd with their robots.

Emily King, an art student at Hollis Brookline High School, amazed her patrons with her face painting skills.

The extra bonus is the funds raised to support the two organizations philanthropic and education programs.

In 2011-12 the Hollis Woman’s Club has award two $1,000 scholarships to two outstanding Hollis Brookline High School students, Amy Schuneman and Stephen Rossetti. An alternative scholarship was awarded to a woman who is the sole support of her family. The cub’s annual Charity Committee awarded $2,000 to Hollis and greater Nashua charities and organizations.

The Hollis K-first grade Bus Orientation cost is underwritten by the club each year. Special contributions were made to Tyler’s Walk, the Etchells Family Fund and to the Hollis Historical Society in memory of Hilda Lull Hildreth, who was a 72-year member of the club. The Hollis Town Band underwrites the annual Winter Concert, which gathers food to be distributed in baskets to local food pantries; buys new music and instruments for the band, which includes musicians of all ages from the Hollis area; and supports the Schellenberg-Twitchell-Jeynes Memorial Scholarships.

An event like this doesn’t happen all by itself. It takes many volunteers and hours of work to produce this wonderful end result.

There are so many to thank, and, although not everyone can be mentioned by name, they have our heartfelt gratitude for each and every contribution and effort. Members of the Hollis Woman’s Club and their families, the Hollis Town Band, The Force Team 1073, our local Girl Scout Troop and many devoted community members pitched in to bring the festival together.

Local businesses also contributed to the festival with donations and services to help defray the cost of this event.

Thank you to Brookdale Fruit Farm Inc., Lull Farm, Doc Davis Ice Cream, Edward L. Klopfer, DDS, Hollis Hair Design, East Coast Gutters, Helfman, Lasky & Associates, Landmark Dental Care, Arthur O. Lyford, DMD, Technology Garden, Body Therapy, Bark East Pet Grooming, Hollis Country Kitchen, Mile Away Restaurant, Hollis Veterinary Hospital, Beckonings, Carlson Tree Service, Farm Design Inc., Harvest Market, Hollis Auto Service, Hollis Family Chiropractic Center, Dr. Kevin S. Moriarty, Morin’s Landscaping Inc., MT’s Local Kitchen & Wine Bar, Overlook Golf Club, Prudential Verani Realty, Udelsman Associates, Verde Salon, Dayglyn Kennels, Giorgio’s of Merrimack, Hannaford Supermarkets and Nashua Community Music School.

We look forward to seeing everyone at the Apple Festival on Sunday, Oct. 7, 2-4 p.m. at the Hollis Town Commons.

NOREEN POLUS

LORI DWYERL

Strawberry Festival Co-Chairs