Those visiting the North Pocono Public Library can vote on scarecrows representing local municipalities while providing food to their neighbors.
The library is hosting a “Support Our Scarecrow Showdown!” contest through the end of the month. People can drop off food in a bin at the library’s entrance and receive tickets based on the number of items they drop off. They then vote for their favorite scarecrow by placing the tickets in a box marked for each of the participating municipalities. The food goes to the North Pocono Food Pantry.
The contest was organized by the library’s Community Advisory Council, which coordinates activities to draw the public to the library. Inspired by Christmas tree decorating contests, they decided to organize the scarecrow contest as a unique way to support the library while recognizing the North Pocono communities the library serves, co-chair Helen Trygar said.
“We thought, ‘perfect time of the year.’ The colors are great. It’ll add some color and some interest at the front of the library and it’ll attract people, hopefully attract people to come into the library, and also by giving a canned good to the food pantry,” she said.
Trygar credited fellow members Grace Milczarek, Peggy Wilbur, Gretchen Semsick, Diane Kaminski and Maura Farr for helping to organize the contest.
The council invited each of the nine municipalities that comprise the North Pocono region of Lackawanna County to create a scarecrow; five are participating — Thornhurst, Clifton, Jefferson and Roaring Brook townships, and Moscow borough — with scarecrows that include Girl Scouts and a roads department employee. The remaining municipalities are still invited to submit a scarecrow.
The winning municipality will receive a trophy.
A scarecrow designed by officials in Moscow on the sidewalk in front of the North Pocono Public Library Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. (Christine Lee/Staff Photo)
Scarecrows line the sidewalk leading to the entrance to the North Pocono Public Library Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. (Christine Lee/Staff Photo)
Roaring Brook Twp.’s decorated scarecrow on the sidewalk leading to the North Pocono Public Library Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. (Christine Lee/Staff Photo)
A scarecrow designed by Girl Scouts in Thornhurst Twp. sits along the sidewalk leading to the entrance of the North Pocono Public Library Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. (Christine Lee/Staff Photo)
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A scarecrow designed by officials in Moscow on the sidewalk in front of the North Pocono Public Library Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. (Christine Lee/Staff Photo)
Thornhurst Twp. Secretary and Treasurer Jennifer Mateyka saw the contest as a perfect opportunity for the Brownie troop she leads, Troop 50100, to get involved in the community. The troop made up the township’s scarecrow in a Girl Scout uniform and empty boxes of Girl Scout cookies. Her husband, Ryan Mateyka, made the frame it stands on.
“We tried to use our Girl Scout law principles. We used our resources wisely, and we all just brought things in and threw it together,” Jennifer Mateyka said. “It’s always fun to do community events and to make the girls feel like they’re doing something in their community too.”
Since volunteers erected them last month, Trygar said the public has shown their love for the scarecrows by taking photos, but also by donating food and voting. She said the bin for food donations has been full multiple times since the contest started last month.
Trygar hopes the contest brings people inside the library to use it, and that it will be an annual event. It also benefits the community by allowing the public to donate to the food pantry.
“There is definitely a need for additional areas for people to obtain food items in the course of a month when their benefits run out,” she said. “It’s also a great way to get people to come up to the library.”