FFA members serve up s’mores on Fall Fun Night. From left are Ryleigh Keating, Allison Selensky and Christine Mahle.

Members of the Rugby Chamber of Commerce invited visitors to enjoy s’mores and more for Fall Fun Night, held on a blustery Thursday, Oct. 14, in downtown Rugby.

With their hands in their coat pockets and caps on their heads, shoppers ducked into downtown stores for warmth and bargains. Bonnie Berginski, owner of Rockin’ Relics Cafe, served up cool sundaes and hot soup later than her usual 5 p.m. closing time. Berginski described the crowd at the event as “kind of light.”

However, attractions such as bounce houses sponsored by the Rugby Jaycees brought out a few hardy kids and parents. The pumpkin ring toss game in front of St. Michel Furniture turned out to be such a hit; game organizers ran out of pumpkins.

“We had 27 pumpkins that we’ve given away,” Laurie Odden, director of the Chamber and Convention and Visitors Bureau said. “You toss a ring and if it landed on a pumpkin, you got to take it home. We ran out of pumpkins early.”

Miss Teen Rugby Ryli Kuhnhenn helped out with the game and braved the chill with a smile.

“We’re so lucky to have her here,” Odden said of Kuhnhenn. “Also, thanks to Dave Bednarz for giving wagon rides to the kids. He donated his time to do that as well.” Bednarz used his all-terrain vehicle to pull a flatbed trailer decorated with hay bales and a scarecrow to give rides around downtown to area children.

“If it were a little warmer, I think we would have had a bigger crowd, but it was a nice day and we had quite a few kids. I must’ve given about 15 rides today,” Bednarz said.

“NoDak Insurance donated some candy for the kids,” Odden said, pointing to a bowl filled with fun-sized treats at the pumpkin ring toss station. “We had some pinwheels and other things for them, too. We have a Radio Flyer wagon donated by Pierce County Farmers Union that we’re giving away, too,” Odden added.

“The Rugby FFA is here serving s’mores. We have four fire pits here (on Second Street Southeast). The fire pits were donated to the chamber a few years back by First International Bank and Trust, Bremer Bank, Merchants Bank and North Star Community Credit Union,” Odden added.

“Two gentlemen from Envision, Mr. Fedje and Mr. Dibble came out to make sure they were working for us. Mama Mac’s Food Truck is here, too,” Odden said.

The fire pits placed on Second Street Southeast provided visitors a welcome opportunity to warm their hands.

FFA members huddled around one of them as they made s’mores to hand out.

“Laurie had asked us three weeks ago to do this,” FFA Advisor Kasey Okke said as members made s’mores.

“We’re just giving these away,” said Okke as members Ryleigh Keating, Allison Selensky and Christine Mahle offered the warm treats to passersby. “We’re getting a good response,” Okke added.

“For how cold it is, I’m surprised at how many people we’re having come here,” she added.

“We must have had 40 or 50 people come and get s’mores,” Okke agreed.