While the Class of 2017’s craft fair is the class’s biggest fundraiser, class president Bella Ziolek said the best part of this fundraiser is not about the funds they raised for their class, but how they were able to help their community.

“I think this was the best craft fair we’ve had so far,” Ziolek said.  “Every year it keeps growing and growing. This year there were even more vendors to visit, and the crafts and goods [have gotten] cooler each year. This is our biggest fundraiser and we make a lot of money from it, but we were also able to donate hundreds to both Harbor homes and the food pantry, which I think is a significant part of the fair, since we’re able to give back so much.”

Class secretary Shea Robinson said she really liked that the craft fair gives her class “an opportunity to serve our community.”

“Other fundraisers also make money, and don’t get us wrong we love raising funds for our class activities,” Robinson said, “but I really do enjoy giving vendors in the community a chance to sell their goods locally.”

The students tried their hardest “to make things run smoothly” for the vendors, Robinson said.

That meant members of the junior class spent the morning and afternoon of the craft fair helping the vendors bring in their goods to and from the cafeteria, carrying everything from homemade hair bows to woven wreaths to boxes of popcorn. They helped the vendors set their booths up in the morning and pack them up at the end of the day, and in the middle of the day, they also served them lunch.

Ziolek said it was “tiring and a lot of work,” but it was all “worth it” when the vendors gave her such positive feedback about her class.

“[The vendors said] that all the volunteers were so helpful and nice and that we made their days so much better,” Ziolek said.

One of the vendors said she had never been to a craft fair where not only were there people offering assistance to help her set up and take down her booth, but that the people doing the helping were teenagers.  Robinson and Ziolek heard from activities coordinators Anna Gruchot and Alli Martin that this same vendor said that she had always had a negative impression of teenagers, but that coming to this fair completely changed her perception.  She told them that people like the junior class gave her “hope in the world.”

“It makes me genuinely happy to hear that vendors [said] we improved their image of teenagers,” Ziolek said. “All the stress kind of goes away when you see how happy the vendors are, and that it all paid off at the end of the day.”

Along with the collection jars the Class of 2017 set up to raise funds for the food pantry, they also donate the profit from the raffle to harbor homes.

“We hope this fair is something that people can sort of rely on attending each year,” Robinson said. “I know I see returning vendors and visitors yearly. If nothing else, I hope we provide people with a fun way to spend a Saturday morning.”

Checkout some of the crafts that were sold at 2017 Craft Fair