Barbara Lawlor, Nederland.  The door to the Nederland Middle Senior High School swung open and a cheerful, spunky looking teenage girl said "Welcome," and the fragrance of turkey dinner rolled out. The door, said," welcome," and the sound of kids stacking cookies on their plates and laughing, laughing as the stacks tipped over, made one want to run inside and be part of the party.

The Harvest Feast is a middle school tradition that morphed into an all-school, senior citizen, firefighter and police department tradition made possible by the middle school students and their parents.

Autumn oranges, russets and golds decorated the tables that held the pipestem trees bedecked with leaves spreading messages of hope and wisdom from the children.

The first seating included middle school students and senior citizens who mingled with the kids and dug into the mashed potatoes and gravy, pleasure lighting up their faces. A line of parents spooned and dolloped and poured the entrees and then students walked among the guests, carrying platters of pumpkin, apple, cherry, lemon and pecan pie, along with mountains of chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin bread. Banana cream pie. Gooey, chocolatey brownies.

The middle school students had less than an hour to eat and get to their next class, and as they made their way out of the dining room, the serving dishes were whisked away and replaced by a whole new batch of turkey dinner with all the trimmings, the high school students got in line for their fair share. This year, the students were joined by Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle, a few deputies and members of the Nederland Police Department and Fire Department.

Sheriff Pelle got in line with the students and filled a plate for himself. "For a community event, this is phenomenal, an awesome feast. The turkey is great and I'm going to definitely get seconds. It's a great way to get everyone together."

Teachers and students and members of the community let go of their troubles, the anxieties and the discord of the world to enjoy the feast of fun and joining our community's students together.

A wall filled with notes from students: saying, "My source of strength is music; family; going to a great school; healthy activities, sleep; and living in the Nederland community.

Betty Munson says she has been attending the Harvest Feast for years and wouldn't miss it for anything, it is like the kickoff of the holiday season.