It's a Small World -- Even in Exhibitions!
It really is about the little things! We have been having such a good time at the Woodbury Public Library (WPL) that it is hard to imagine how we will go back to life "before" Key Ingredients when we ship it on in a couple of weeks. It is amazing how many folks have "reunited" at our programming. Just as an example, at our Heritage Station Wine and Cheese tasting we found out that one visitor's son used to work on the Heritage Station farm about 20 years ago - and Penni Heritage remembered him! It was doubly impressive to find out that Sean, Heritage Station's "wine guru" grew up next door to another guest! Little stories like this have been coming at us left and right - everyone seems to be someone's cousin/in-law/neighbor/employee/whatever! Our favorite story (so far) happened just this past Thursday. The Moorestown Friends high school nutrition class came by to tour the exhibit. A really nice group of young adults milled about the exhibit as their teacher pointed out important panels and topics. A few explored on their own. One young woman lifted the door to the Cheesesteak Tidbit only to declare, "Hey, that's my dad!" Wait. What? Nicolette Olivieri, it turns out, is a member of the family that owns and operates the famous Philadelphia eatery Pat's Steaks and the picture under the cheesesteak tidbit is her daddy, Frank Olivieri, standing in front of the restaurant. It seems his inclusion in the Key Ingredients exhibit was unknown to him but he embraced it wholeheartedly. Nicolette became an instant celeb at the WPL and of course now we know who to call for delivery when we just don't feel like going over the bridge! -- Jessica Ferguson, Woodbury Public Library, Woodbury, New Jersey
