After a short departure, Elizabeth Haagenson will once again be Huckleberry Festival Committee chair, and has now signed on as Huckleberry Inc. president in addition. “I didn’t want to see it end,” Haagenson stated of the festival, renouncing her resignation during the recent Huckleberry Inc., board meeting.

The annual festival was in jeopardy of dissolving due to lack of volunteers and someone willing to spearhead the event and committees.

“We’re doing our darndest to move forward this year with the expectation that we will have a festival,” expressed Haagenson. She admitted the committee is slightly behind schedule because of the uncertainty of who, if anyone, was taking leadership. Now that she is in place, Haagenson said she will make phone calls and have festival entertainment plans in place before the next board meeting, which is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, January 28, at the Trout Creek Senior Center.

Excited to bring some new, fresh ideas for the 2020 Huckleberry Festival, Haagenson’s visions were denied when the festival was cancelled for pandemic reasons. She continues to hold on to these and is hoping to see them come to fruition in 2021.

“We are going to see what we can put together,” Haagenson said, referencing the efforts of Huckleberry Inc. and Huckleberry Festival Committee board members Sandy Green, vice president; Kathy Hill, treasurer; Don Manning, member at large; Carrie Greene, vendor chair; and newly seated Sarah Dramstad, secretary.

Haagenson hopes more volunteers will step forward so the event can continue to thrive the second weekend of August, every year. “We are moving toward normal, but volunteers are needed,” she emphasized.

For more information or to volunteer, contact Haagenson at 827-7117.