Sparta Day organizers keep tradition going
SPARTA. Event is one of the biggest fundraisers for the Junior Woman’s Club of Sparta.
Sparta /
| 06 Jun 2023 | 06:58
Children play in the Kids Country area during Sparta Day on Saturday, June 3. (Photos by Deirdre Mastandrea)
O.S.C.A.R. volunteers Craig Peters of Lake Hopatcong, Cassie Kowalchuk of Bridgewater and Betty Peters, right, of Lake Hopatcong pose with dogs Piper and Charles.
Megan Armstrong, 17, of Sparta sings during Sparta Day. She is a student at Elisa Girlando Studio.
Members of the Civil Air Patrol are, from left, Doug DeMarco, 15, of Hardyston; Evelyn Lawley, 12, of Vernon; Sophie Gulbrandsen, 13, of Sparta; Gabriela Ruiz, 16, of Pennsylvania; and Marques Renteria, 15, of Randolph.
Members of Every Town for Gun Safety are, from left, Linda Coombs of Sparta, Susan Giordano of Mount Arlington, Patty Rivas of Sparta, Irene Sergonis of Mount Olive, Alicia Sharma of Mount Olive, Edmund Khanoo of Mount Olive and Nichole Howard of Sparta.
Haley Erikson, left, and Elise Uitdenhowden, right, are Sparta High School Key Club members. They are standing with Kate Palmer, a member of the Junior Woman’s Club of Sparta, which organizes Sparta Day.
Students at Perfect Pointe Dance Studio pose during Sparta Day.
A little drizzle didn’t keep visitors away from Sparta Day 2023 on Saturday June 3.
Hosted since 1975 by the Junior Woman’s Club of Sparta (JWCS), the event had 110 vendors, a food plaza sponsored by Culligan Water and Kids Country, a play area for children sponsored by the Goddard School.
All of the proceeds from Sparta Day will be donated to local and national charities in the name of the JWCS.
This year, Sparta Day was chaired by Jenn Carlson, a JWCS member since 2011, and Kelly Lucadamo, a JWCS member since 2014.
They have been running the event together for several years and appreciate what Sparta Day means to the community.
“Sparta Day began 48 years ago as a seed of an idea and has grown into an annual tradition,” said Lucadamo.
Both women want to be a part of keeping the tradition alive.
“We take pride in our role in bringing the community together and kicking off the summer season each year,” said Lucadamo.
In addition to bringing the town together, Sparta Day is a big source of revenue for the JWCS.
“This is one of our biggest fundraisers, allowing our club to give back to local nonprofits that we support,” she said.
“At its root, Sparta Day is what JWCS is all about: Bringing the community together,” she added.
For nonprofit organizations, such as O.S.C.A.R. Animal Rescue, which has participated in Sparta Day for more than a decade, the event is a staple of their outreach.
“Sparta Day is always one of the best events,” said Cassie Kowalchuk.
In the past, the day resulted in many dog adoptions and she expected the same for the 13 dogs looking for homes Saturday.
“We will never miss Sparta Day,” she added.
Some first-time participants were hopeful that Sparta Day would help introduce their organizations to the community.
Dawn Cammarato was representing Benny’s Bodega, a nonprofit store in Newton that lets struggling families shop for food and basic items for free. It is supported by donations as well as partnerships with Whole Foods and Wegmans.
“Not a lot of people in Sparta know about us,” Cammarato said.
She hoped that having a table at Sparta Day would help recruit volunteers as well as reach people who could use the services.