WHAT: Fall Bonfire and Stargazing Party

WHEN: Saturday, October 17, 6 to 9 pm

WHERE: Ron and Roberta’s house (directions at end of message)

DETAILS: PMC will provide individually bagged ingredients for s’mores, paper plates and pop-up napkins, or you may bring your own service. We also have some individually packaged plasticware if you forget to bring some.

  • Please wear your mask except when eating/drinking, and plan on keeping your household group within safe social distancing guidelines (6 feet).
  • Rosie and Becky will be bagging up single-serve s’mores ingredient packets (graham crackers, marshmallows, Hershey’s chocolate bars) and also some marshmallow-only packets while wearing masks and gloves. Or instead of Hershey bars, you can choose a thin-style peanut butter cup for a special twist. Or both!
  • Dress for the weather! Even if it’s a warm afternoon, it will get quite chilly after sunset. Layers are great. Hats and gloves come in handy, too. So far, the forecast is for clear skies with a high of 64 and a low of 41. Chilly!
  • Bring lawn chairs, if convenient. There will be some chairs.
  • We are not able to have a sing-along this year. Singing can propel virus droplets even further than talking.
  • Ron/Roberta have quite a few hot dog sticks to share. Using them in the bonfire will sanitize the fork end. Wipes or hand sanitizer are recommended for cleaning the handles before use, which will be available.
  • Please bring your own hot dogs/buns and fixings. We are not able to safely offer those items.
  • Please bring your own beverage, water bottle, or thermos of hot cider/chocolate. We are not able to put out a beverage dispenser even for water this year.
  • Bring a flashlight if you have one.
  • It is a short walk from the barn to the house for the restroom. Pop-up paper towels will be available for hand washing. You may need your flashlight.
  • Sunset is at 6:38 pm on the 17th, so if you want to eat while it’s still daylight, plan accordingly.
  • If the skies are clear, we will see Jupiter, Saturn, the red planet Mars, the Summer Triangle, the Andromeda Galaxy, the summer Milky Way galaxy, and more. There will not be any telescopes this year due to the pandemic. Skies should be dark by 7:30 pm. If you want to bring your own binoculars, Becky can explain how to see the 4 moons of Jupiter. And she will point out some constellations in small groups of 8-10 at a time. She has a portable microphone/amp so you can hear her while keeping distance in your family group.

Roberta and Becky will send out an email by NOON on Sat. 10/17 IF the party is completely cancelled due to inclement weather or a muddy field. If it’s just cloudy or overcast (and no muddy fields), we will still have the event with the bonfire, but no stargazing.

There are several good apps out there that display the night skies and various stellar objects and planets if you are interested. Some are free and some cost a small amount. Star Walk, Pocket Universe, Stellarium, and Night Sky (free version) are a few good ones.

DIRECTIONS: If you do not have the address and/or if you need directions to Ron and Roberta’s house, please contact the church.

Please park in the grassy area of the field east of the barn. If you arrive after dark, please watch for others walking about in the area.

Call Becky or Rosie with any questions.