And The Winner Of This Year's Best Apple Pie Is...

Yum! Apple pie and plenty of it at the sixth annual Families Helping Families Apple Pie Festival held Oct. 6 at The Morgan School.

The event is a fundraiser to collect non-perishable food and funds for fuel assistance for needy Clinton Families. Every penny raised by Families Helping Families, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, goes to Clinton families and remains in the town.

The evening had it all: apple pie, ice cream, kids' activities, music, and a "best apple pie" contest.

"In a strange twist of fate, last year's winner Karen Marsden finished second and last year's third place winner Laura Brown finished first," said Families Helping Families President Miner Vincent.

Brown and Marsden have held on tightly to the top ribbons for the last three years. Last year, Marsden won 1st place, Marie Ann Porter won 2nd place and Brown won third place.

Patch spoke to winner Brown who said she and her family "support Families Helping Families at this nice community event each year."

She wasn't giving away any secrets to her prize-winning pie recipe. The recipe for the crust is a closely-guarded family recipe.

Brown said when Marsden's name was announced as the second place winner, she thought to herself, "I still have a chance to win!" And she did.

Here are the winners of the best apple pie contest:

1st place: Laura Brown

2nd place: Karen Marsden

3rd place: Michael Ropini

Youth division winner: Jenna Morrello

The true winners are the 261 attendees and volunteers who donated food and money to the cause.

The total amount of money raised at this year's event is $1,069; total amount of food donated is 400 pounds.

A special tribute was given by First Selectman Willie Fritz to State Senator Eileen Daily who is retiring this year after more than 20 years of service to the town and district.