This past weekend, the school was packed with eager shoppers looking to stock up on Christmas goodies.
On Saturday, November 21st Howick Elementary hosted its 35th annual Christmas Fair. The fair, which has become particular favourite with the locals, hosted 56 vendors this year. While many merchants were from the area, including the Howick WI, the Howick Girl Guides and the Howick Boy Scouts, some came from as far as Montreal, making for a lively market of handmade goods for both Christmas and beyond. Nearly 750 locals packed the school’s hallways, looking for heartfelt Christmas gifts and homemade treats for their loved ones. All proceeds raised from the fair were filtered directly back into the school.
Organizer Krista McKoy has been putting the fair together for the last six years. “The fair is a volunteer effort,’ she said of the event. ‘With nearly 100 students, every family was involved in the Christmas fair in some way, from baking for the bake sale, to setting up the fair, to simply getting the word out.” Velda Brown was also on hand to serve up her favorite hamburger soup and other treats, which resulted in a sold-out bake table.
The fair is a major fundraiser for the school. In the past, proceeds raised have covered the costs of field trips, computer programs and additional technology for the Howick students. Contributions have also been used to upgrade kitchen equipment, purchase books for the school’s library and update “Mr. Whalley’s Book Nook” (Whalley is a retired university professor who has been promoting literacy in the school for years by reading with each and every HES student). While the format of the fair has remained largely unchanged, social media has contributed greatly to the growing popularity of the fair. “This year, we had seven crafters contact us to join the fair after seeing our event on Facebook,’ said McKoy. ‘But we have a handful of crafters who have been with us since day one, and we are extremely grateful for their loyalty.”
“I am extremely proud of our little school and of the amazing community that supports it,” said McKoy. As for those of you that missed out on the fair, be sure to mark your calendar for next year’s event, which will take place on November 19th, 2016.
