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Shannon Smith, at the heart of the Blueberry Festival

5 mins read
Medical Inflatables President Lauren Hill takes Shannon Smith through the MEGA Heart.
Medical Inflatables President Lauren Hill takes Shannon Smith through the MEGA Heart.

WILTON – Shannon Smith stood inside the cavernous white tent, a few yards from the literal heart of the Blueberry Festival.

A small crew, comprised of Medical Inflatables technicians, Walmart and Wilson Inn volunteers, spread out the approximately 400 square feet of tarp-like fabric and plugged in the blower. Someone asked about the electrical system, if there’s enough juice to run the blowers that will keep the festival’s biggest attraction inflated and accessible. Smith says there should be, but she has an electrician on call, just in case.

She takes a phone call, flipping it open with fingernails adorned with tiny blueberries. Terse responses, yes and no, not much time to spare. Lots of details to iron out.

The Medical Inflatables displays arrived yesterday, traveling from across the country to Kineowatha Park. The 90-by-90-foot tent was ready, but that was about it; no forklift for the display trunks, no logistics, truckers didn’t have a plan. One of them only spoke Russian.

Smith brought in help and got the trunks unloaded, just like she arranged for Port-a-Potties, CPR classes (near the heart, of course), acupuncture demonstrations (brain, naturally) and a machine from Boothbay that demonstrates the importance of seat belts and bears the somewhat ominous title of “The Convincer.”

Four thousand free toothbrushes (“age appropriate!” Smith noted). One for each visitor.

Lot of phone calls, lot of people. Town personnel hang the blueberries, volunteers to assist people as they tour the Medical Inflatables displays (Smith could actually use a few more for Friday), Boy Scouts to camp out and guard a gigantic set of lungs.

Medical Inflatables, out of Houston, Texas, has four displays that travel the country: heart, lungs, brain and a 50-foot-long body. Each can be walked through, like a sort of medical expedition, and each has been decorated with elements that represent various maladies and treatments. They were developed with the assistance of an expert (a cardiologist for the heart, for example) and a medical artist. Wilton Blueberry Festival will mark the first time all four displays have been at the same event in New England.

The president and CEO of the company, Lauren Hill, doesn’t travel to every event, but said that she had to come after talking to Smith on the phone.

“As soon as I talked to her on the phone I was like ‘I have to meet this lady'” Hill said. “Her energy, the energy of this festival, it’s incredible.”

The blower hums on and, with an occasional prod from a volunteer, the Medical Inflatables heart inflates until its 13 feet high.

“Look at that,” Smith marveled. “The one I want to see is the body, it’s bigger than my house. And I thought I had a pretty big house,” she added.

The Medical Inflatables displays will be available from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Friday, and 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday. There is no charge to tour the displays, and a number of other events, including CPR classes (10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday) and acupuncture (same hours as the displays) will be taking place alongside. In keeping with the 32nd annual Blueberry Festival’s theme of “health education,” the Healthy Community Coalition will be open for information, Free Blood Pressure checks and health recipes out of Kineowatha Park.

For a complete schedule of Blueberry Festival events, please click here.

The displays come packed into big trunks, seen here.
The displays come packed into big trunks, seen here.
Volunteers and Medical Inflatables staff turn on the blower.
Volunteers and Medical Inflatables staff turn on the blower.
The MEGA Heart, fully inflated.
The MEGA Heart, fully inflated.
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9 Comments

  1. One of the hardest working people in all of Franklin County. Wishing you all the best.
    Hope the whole county turns out for your event.

  2. Where would Wilton be without Shannon Smith? a totally amazing person whose generosity inspires us all. Thank you, Shannon, for your hard work and commitment.

  3. Shannon is absolutely the best! Her dedication and love of community is remarkable. Her willingness to share of her time and talent is admired and appreciated by all who know her. Thank you so much, Shannon!

  4. A big thank-you to Shannon for all she does for the Blueberry Festival as well as this area. I would love to see the hot air balloon come back, was sorry I didn’t see and go up when it was here a few years ago. Again thanks Shannon we all love and admire you. You are the best.

  5. can’t imagine what or if the festival would be without the force of Shannon. she does a fantastic job

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