Honing their crafts: Warren Band Boosters hold annual fundraiser
Susan’s Saw Scenes was among the 130 vendors who filled the Warren High School and Middle School gymnasium and cafeteria Saturday during the 44th annual Warren Band Boosters Arts and Crafts Fair. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
John Pennington of Spruce Knob Wood Products has been a vendor at the Warren Band Boosters Arts and Crafts Fair for 35 years and continued to share his hobby of woodworking with the community at Saturday’s event. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
Susan’s Saw Scenes was among the 130 vendors who filled the Warren High School and Middle School gymnasium and cafeteria Saturday during the 44th annual Warren Band Boosters Arts and Crafts Fair. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
John Pennington of Spruce Knob Wood Products has been a vendor at the Warren Band Boosters Arts and Crafts Fair for 35 years and continued to share his hobby of woodworking with the community at Saturday’s event. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
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VINCENT -- The 44th annual Warren Local Band Boosters Arts and Crafts Fair filled the gymnasiums and cafeterias Saturday afternoon at Warren Middle and High Schools.
The annual event drew many attendees and many vendors to the two schools. In addition to crafts, there baked goods and food for sale.
"We are one of the oldest arts and crafts fairs around," said Stephen Collins, Warren assistant band and color guard Director. "At the beginning, we only had a few vendors, and now we're up to 130 of them between the two locations."
The crafters provide "a little bit of everything," according to Collins, including items for the kitchen, home and pets, as well as clothing, body and beauty products, jewelry, she-shed and man cave items and yard decorations. Many shoppers were looking for Christmas gifts.
Several crafters at this year's fair were longtime participants. Susan Hannan with Susan's Saw Scene is a 40-year veteran of the fair, while John and Susie Pennington have been there for 35 years with their Spruce Knob Wood Products.
"The band boosters fund the band's music, instruments, travel for competitions, food for competitions and uniforms," Collins said. "If you see all these kids at the fair, it's the band kids working for their fundraiser. They take ownership, and they become ambassadors while helping raise money."
The fall Arts and Crafts Fair has become so successful for the Warren Band Boosters that they have opened a Spring Arts and Crafts Fair in recent years. While the fall event is strictly non-commercial, handmade items, the Spring Fair includes commercial items as well.
The spring fair is set for April 6.
"Some of these funds will be going to our trip to Indianapolis soon," said Collins. "We'll be traveling to the Bands of America Grand Nationals at the Lucas Oil Stadium" in Indianapolis.