WEST ALEXANDRIA — The 53rd Annual Kiwanis Oktoberfest Fall Arts and Crafts Festival was held Saturday through Sunday, Oct. 9-10, at Peace Park.
The festival returned this year after being cancelled last year due to COVID-19.
During the festival, Mayor Jeff Hickey presented Carol L. Lunsford with the West Alexandria Citizen of the Year award. Lunsford has been an active part of West Alexandria her entire life.
She was awarded the Peace Keeper Award for Caregiver by the Preble County Battered Womens’ Shelter in 2003, was named Preble County Woman of the Year in 1999 and a Dayton Daily News Top Ten Women of the Miami Valley in 1998, and 4-H Advisor of the Year in 1985.
She has owned and operated her own business, the Pin Up Shoppe, for over 58 years, and has served several terms as mayor of West Alexandria. She served over 60 years as a Sunday School teacher and children’s choir director at Salem Lutheran Church, has served over 50 years as head 4-H advisor of Spic’N Span Pots’N Pans 4-H Club, is a long time member of Kiwanis, Coterie Club, and a co-founder and member of West Alexandria Celebration Committee.
She also founded the Caring Citizens Organization, Christmas in Our Village, the Ole Fashioned Jamboree, and reorganized the Preble County Mayors’ Association. She was part of Eaton Grange, Gleaners Chapter OES #182, Ohio Gateway Development Council of Preble County, and the Council on Aging Board. Carol had volunteered as a trained Literacy Tutor, and Emergency Response Team member, and volunteered for over 30 years at the Preble County Pork Festival.
The festival also crowned the Oktoberfest Queen on Saturday, Oct. 9. Sponsored by Alpha Kappa Sorority, Joslynn Beneke was named Oktoberfest Queen. First-runner up was Lynnlee Voge, and second runner-up was Lauren Cole. Each in the Queens’ court received a crown, flowers, a sash, and also a cash award.
Queen Joslynn Beneke and her court began their service by assisting Alpha Kappa Sorority in crowning the new Mr. and Miss Oktoberfest contestants, which was held at later that day.
In the fifth annual Oktoberfest Miss and Mr. Pageant, sponsored by Alpha Kappa Sorority, the winners are as follows: Tiny Miss Amelia Jenkins, Mini Mr. Ben David Mears, Young Miss Isabella Hittle, Runner-up Young Miss Mia Bass, Young Mr. Jace Beneke, Teen Miss Olivia Hoover, and Teen Mr. Bryce Koeller. T-shirts from First Impression Wear, bags of candy, cash and Target gift cards were awarded to participants.
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time. Visit their website at: www.kiwanisoktoberfest.org.
Editor’s Note: Mary Lunsford contributed to this report.
