MILLy wins Nonprofit Scarecrow Contest

The Montclair Foundation and Van Vleck House & Gardens recently sponsored their third annual community exhibition, Scarecrow Exhibit in the Gardens. The exhibit featured handcrafted scarecrows created by scout troops, nonprofit organizations, local businesses, families, classes, and individuals.

Scarecrow designs ranged from the traditional to dark-and-scary tributes to Halloween, from repurposed and upcycled creatures to sewn-and-stuffed homages to characters inspired by history, mythology, film, or literature.

Visitors to the Van Vleck House & Gardens from October 17 – 26, 2022 cast votes for the best scarecrow in each category. Winners then designated a nonprofit organization to receive a $500 donation. The entry from students of the Montclair Institute for Lifelong Learning (MILL) won in the nonprofit category for “MILLy” and designated their $500 donation for Partners for Health Foundation.

Pictured with MILLy are the MILL students who helped to create her (left to right): Beth Pugh, Candy Bruno, Christine Singer, Joanne Kornoelje and Sharon Allen.