Pies, pumpkins and ponies featured prominently at the WindReach Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 17. Skinks and shipwrecks were also on the schedule of events.

WindReach Bermuda celebrated ten years of caring with a 10th anniversary ribbon cutting ceremony at the official opening of the new Natural Environment and Sensory Zone, which comprised a skink cottage, fresh water pond and nature reserve.

On hand for the ribbon cutting were Governor Sir Richard Gozney, WindReach founder Sandy Mitchell and his wife Sally, and Bermuda National Trust president Jennifer Gray, who brought greetings from prominent environmentalist David Wingate. Board member Mrs. Lori Lewis, and dedicated friend and volunteer Mr. Paul Ray were also part of the celebrity line-up.

The skink cottage and nature reserve are additions to the already comprehensive collection of natives and endemics found on the sensory trail. It is hoped that the skink cottage will provide a safe breeding place for the endangered native reptile, while the fresh water pond is already attracting bird life and it is hoped will be equally successful in encouraging the rare, endemic killifish.

In addition to those of the officials at the formalities, smiling faces could be found on adaptive sports participants at the boccia and basketball courts, on pony riders and on a variety of pumpkins. Painted faces could be found everywhere, at the food court, the bake stall and among the cedars at the plant stall.

With the help of many friends including Natasha Dowling, Bob Flath, and Chris Williams, WindReach created a special 400 Bermuda shipwreck activity, which included sound effects, a smoke machine, and real pirate.

The Windreach therapeutic riding programme presented in the main ring a riding exhibit entitled Circus Auditions that included a number of special needs participants.

Winners of the Wacky Pie-Eating contest were Barbara Chasty, Steven Christofoli and Karen DeSousa, who won Lindo's gift vouchers worth $200, $100 and $50 respectively.

In the pumpkin-carving competition, Andreana and Nerea Aitken won the 400 Category; Lillian Maclean created the funniest face; Ilidio Francisco's pumpkin was deemed the scariest and Raquel Bean's the most creative.

The day ended with the musical ensemble Prestege on the main stage at 4 p.m.

"Perfect weather coupled with an array of activities made this a truly special occasion," declared programme director Jean Flath, who noted that over 1,300 people came to help make WindReach Bermuda's annual Harvest Festival and 10th Anniversary a celebration to remember.