Charm Days provide a warm and fuzzy feeling

On Blinky, on Cranky, on Goober and Black Jack. On Henry, on Speedy and Slow Poke and Big Mack.

If Santa were an autumn traveler and drove a sleigh full of autumn leaves and pumpkins, this is what it might sound like when he takes flight with a fanciful fleet of woolly worms.

However, he doesn’t, but where you might find creatures like this and many other brown, black and orange fuzzy creatures with plenty of creative names is at the woolly worm contest at Charm Days.

On any given autumn day, the village of Charm offers a serene country appeal and draws people to visit from near and far, but Oct. 13-14, Charm will be crawling with extra charisma, highlighted by the annual woolly worm contest.

“The woolly worm races have been a favorite for many people for a long time,” said Ivan J. Miller, who has been involved with the event for many years. “The kids still love it, and the community does too.”

The woolly worms might be a cute drawing card, but Charm Days offers much more including the Charm Share and Care Fund.

The fund was created years ago to provide financial support to families facing financial burdens and other hardships. Throughout the year the Share and Care board doles out funds, making this special weekend a catalyst in raising money for the fund.

“It’s amazing to see the support this community shows year after year,” Miller said. “That support comes from our local community and goes to show how caring and compassionate people here are in meeting the needs of many. Not only are the people who received being blessed in the process, but those who are giving in so many ways are also being blessed. The act of giving and receiving go together and help make our community the caring community that it is.”

The auction and bake sales raise money for the fund. The community’s outpouring of support, both in terms of volunteering and financially, make Charm Days a critical weekend of support.

Miller said there are countless people in the area who commit to making sure Charm Days succeeds, and it is because of those people it continues to thrive, with the town packed both days.

In addition, Holmes County Hospice will once again have a table set up, complete with a raffle. The two days of bake sales will benefit area Amish church groups that will find ways to make their donations for their baked goods turn into something special. However, Miller said those hoping to get baked goods better not wait too long.

“People better be there early each day because those baked goods go quickly,” he said.

Friday’s Amish church volunteers will sell their baked goods until they are gone, and when Saturday rolls around, a new group of churches and a new lineup of baked goods will be on sale.

Even the volleyball tournament, which will feature 40 girls teams and a boys tournament, will pay out winnings of $500, $300 and $200, and what makes it special is the teams will donate their winnings to whatever charity or family in need they want to. In addition, each team that enters will be rewarded with $100 to donate in the same fashion, making it a win-win.

“They are playing competitively, they are playing for fun and they are all playing with a purpose,” Miller said.

As for the two days of events, Charm will be filled with a lineup that includes a chicken barbecue both days, along with other food, the annual auction on Saturday, a flea market, merchant sale events, and live music on Friday night featuring local favorites High Country and County Line and Indiana’s own Country Road Ramblers. The woolly worm races and the annual 5k run that takes participants through some of Amish Country’s most scenic areas will add to the festivities.

This year also will include a pony parade on Saturday morning.

Most importantly, amidst all the fun and celebration is the overriding theme of giving, where the Charm Share and Care Fund was created many years ago with the focus of providing financial relief to the elderly, widows, widowers, disabled, distressed, poor and underprivileged people of the local community arising from or related to medical expenses, disasters or tragedies, extended illness, injuries and hardships or otherwise.

“Giving through compassion continues to be at the heart of this weekend,” Miller said. “Wherever we see or hear of a need, that is where we want to make an impact. We keep our eyes and ears open to the community and hear about the many needs and help meet them. Sometimes people refer families facing hardships to us. In a close-knit community like ours, these stories of trials and the needs families are facing tend to get back to us, and helping those families is exactly why we created the Share and Care Fund long ago.”

Charm Days continues to be not just a celebration of community, but also one built on love and compassion for others.

You can find a detailed schedule of events for Charm Days in this week’s Bargain Hunter.