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Craft show helps local businesses
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.One of the guests looks at one of the vendors table selling pet items such as dog scarves and dog neckties.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.One of the vendors selling marionettes demonstrated how her products work and how one can make them dance to music.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Guests attending the 20/9 Amateur Radio Club annual craft show on Dec. 12 at the Austintown Senior Center shopped for gifts and looked at different vendor tables.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Santa Claus makes a special appearance at the craft show for children to take a break from shopping to visit and take pictures with.
By ALEXIS BARTOLOMUCCI
The 20/9 Amateur Radio Club hosted its third annual Craft Show and Vendor Expo on Dec. 12 at the Austintown Senior Center.
The radio club hosts two craft shows per year to help raise funds for the club. The club is a non-profit 501c3 organization that helps handle radio communications for events around the Youngstown area. Dotti ONeil-Meleski, the Vice President of the 20/9 Amateur Radio Club, helps organize the crafts shows.
“Everything that we do is all volunteer, we can never get paid for any services we provide. So we have fundraisers throughout the year to fund our club to keep it going,” said ONeil-Meleski.
More than 75 vendors made an appearace at the craft show to sell their products and try to get their names out. Three large rooms were filled with vendors, who all came early in the morning to set up their tables.
One goal of the craft show is to support the idea of shopping and buying local, which boosts the local economy.
Aside from having vendors, there is a Holiday Food Basket collection. Monetary donations and non-perishable food donations are accepted to help those in need. With the monetary donations, other foods are bought in, along with toys for the children. For each item and monetary donation, a person received a ticket for a special door price.
Pictures with Santa were also available as a special surprise for the children who attended.
The 20/9 Amateur Radio Club will continue to host the craft shows in an attempt to help support their club while helping others.
The radio club wishes to thank the Austintown Senior Center for their willingness and happiness to provide a space for the craft show.