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Youngstown Saxon Club Ladies Auxiliary’s craft show provides for five scholarships
By Sean Barron
AUSTINTOWN
When Edward Schenk sells some of his wooden rectangular plaques for $25 each, you might say that the memories attached to them are priceless.
“I sell some of these, but the one with the rocket ship is a best-seller,” the Struthers man said, referring to a plaque containing a photograph of one of the iconic rides at Idora Park.
Schenk, who owns Kitchen Mechanic Co. in Struthers, also had similar items containing photographs of other Idora Park features sure to evoke memories. Those included a stand that sold french fries, as well as the popular Jackrabbit roller coaster.
The nostalgic pieces were among the merchandise for sale during the Youngstown Saxon Club Ladies Auxiliary’s fourth annual fall craft show at the Saxon Club, 710 S. Meridian Road.
An estimated 35 area vendors participated in the free, five-hour fundraiser, which was to provide five scholarships for eligible local high-school students to attend Youngstown State University, noted Betty Garhammer, event organizer.
Garhammer, who is also a Saxon Club officer, did not specify a financial goal for the gathering, however.
Schenk, a longtime industrial woodworker, also had for sale keepsake boxes with striped, spalted maple wood, along with walnut plaques on which were written Scripture passages. In addition, he had on display several handmade tomahawks after having conducted research to learn more about their origins.
“These were early European and were brought to the United States and traded to the Indians,” he explained.
A sampling of items for sale included a variety of necklaces and jewelry, tote bags, several types of kolachi, skin-care products, baby hats, sweaters and afghans, scented soaps, fabrics, candle dishes and dishcloths. Christmas-themed merchandise also was in the mix, including reindeer wreaths and pretzel tins for $20 and $5 each, respectively, creations made with pine cones, Christmas cards and quilted ornaments.
Numerous brightly-colored bowls and candle holders that Colleen Helmick was selling covered one table.
“These bowls were made from pony beads,” said Helmick, who runs her two-year-old business, Gram’s You-Nique Gifts.
The multi-purpose bowls can be used for everything from decorative centerpieces to candy and jewelry holders, explained Helmick, who also had for sale various kinds of soap and potpourri.
Assisting Helmick was her 10-year-old granddaughter, Olivia Helmick, a Springfield Intermediate School fifth-grader.
“Sometimes I help her and I usually get to be the sales girl,” Olivia said with pride.
It’s probably safe to say that few attendees were looking forward to dealing with winter’s snow and cold, which may not be far off. But even though Shirley Gartland of Youngstown can’t control whatever Mother Nature throws our way, she at least was able to add a touch of creativity to the upcoming season.
“I like to make them because they’re one of a kind,” Gartland said, referring to several small and large milk bottles she was selling for $5 or $8 each.
Gartland, who does crafts as a hobby, converted the bottles to containers, each of which she filled with rock salt. Then she added snowman faces and hair with color combinations that resembled favorite sports teams such as the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Austintown Fitch High School Falcons.
In addition, Gartland took pride in the colorful triple crosses on her table that she had cut from certain patterns, including a pink one that symbolized the importance of breast-cancer awareness. The items took about three days each to crochet and add her own decorative touches to them, she continued.
Gartland also assembled bracelet-and-earring combinations, as well as baby bonnets for $5 each that can be used for baptisms and christenings. On one corner of her table was a wreath made from mesh materials that contained a doll in the middle.
“I’m a keepsake person; I just love keepsakes,” she added.