Lots of shoppers got the news about this annual event. See what they discovered that helped them check off lots of items on their Christmas lists …
The DDHS South Cafeteria contains just some of the 80 vendors participating in the 2010 David Douglas Holiday Bazaar.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
It’s been a tradition for quite some time now – the David Douglas High School Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA)’s Holiday Bazaar.
The 2010 edition – held in the South Cafeteria and hallways this year – proved to be a big success!
Many vendors presented a vast array of mostly handmade craft items for sale. And, there were unique offerings as well.
Keeping folks in stitches is crochet master Sue Schwartzkoph.
The colorful display set up by Sue Schwartzkoph, caught our attention. “I crochet all these items myself, and love doing it,” she said. “Yes, I guess you could say I’m a ‘happy hooker’.”
Asked how long it takes her to knit a hat or scarf, Schwartzkoph replied, “It depends on what’s on TV. If it’s a football game, then I can go really fast; but if it’s something interesting, it can take hours!”
As a child, when she visited her grandmother in Banks, Oregon, Schwartzkoph said she hated ripping the rags her grandma used to make rugs. “I hated that. But now, all these years later, now I’m making rugs. She would just absolutely roll over laughing if she were here today!”
DDHS Holiday Bazaar vendor coordinator, Gina Andersen, hands out free raffle tickets – a special promotion to encourage visitors to tour all of hallways, lined with vendors.
We met Gina Andersen in one of the hallways lined with displays, distributing free raffle tickets. “I’ve been the vendor coordinator for our Holiday Bazaar for four years now. I’m happy to see all the shoppers who came to see our 88 vendors here today.”
She, along with at least 15 student volunteers and six parent volunteers, worked to put on this event – their main PTSA fundraiser.
“Doing this is important, so that we may provide scholarships to our students,” Andersen said. “Here in our school district, our families have been hard hit by the bad economy. If we can give our students a little boost – a little help – it is all worthwhile.”
Holding a restored violin, Bill Mehess of The Music Project mans the most unique vendor booth at this year’s event.
A congenial looking fellow, Bill Mehess, was presiding over a booth laden with brand-new-looking stringed instruments. Everything from guitars to violins were on display – and the musical merchandise looked to be of very high quality.
“I’m with ‘The Music Project’; we restore musical instruments,” explained Mehess. “We’re a very nonprofit group; and I’ve been involved with them for about 12 years now. People donate used instruments, and we restore them. The whole idea is to get people to play music. We do this by making instruments affordable, so anyone can afford to play.”
The organization has no website, no retail outlet – and does no advertising, Mehess said. “When we have enough instruments ready to go, we come to events like this.”
Shoppers get the opportunity to shop with 88 vendors at this year’s Holiday Bazaar.
© 2010 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News
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