Staff
There’s no telling how old he is in scarecrows years but Sam, Meaford’s iconic scarecrow, is looking as fresh and vibrant as he did when he was created over a decade ago, and he is ready to celebrate the Scarecrow Invasion and Family Festival’s 20th birthday in style.
The much-loved, much-celebrated Sam is legendary. He has become the face of the Invasion, modelled after the official Invasion logo designed by former Meaford resident, artist Kerry Riley.
Sam has made many appearances on television, in parades and window displays, and during community events, according to Mary Woods, who created Sam along with Joan Cooper, Laurie Adams, and Kate Belec.
“Back then, we had no idea how to build a scarecrow,” Mary Woods admits. “We used batting, straw, and wood. The end product was one very heavy scarecrow. We figured that a scarecrow should wear a vest, and when a neighbour offered us a suit jacket we cut the sleeves off and made Sam’s first vest. He has had a few makeovers during the years, and several new vests. His trousers have been patched many times, and this year, he is sporting a brand new plaid shirt for the birthday celebrations. But it is the same face and the same Sam smile that Gary Chick created back then.”
Sam is currently on display at the RBA Financial storefront on Sykes Street alongside a 20th birthday cake created by Thornbury artist Barb Smith. Like Sam, Barb’s cake creations are a work of love, each one designed with a person or special occasion in mind.
