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Lions Club’s 17th annual spring show draws packed house
CANFIELD
Saturday was a perfect day for Canfield Lions Club’s 17th annual spring craft, antique and quilt show inside Canfield High School.
It wasn’t sunshiny and warm outside. The sky was overcast, there was intermittent rain, and the temperatures were low – hardly conducive to yard work or even playing golf, which might have cut into the show’s attendance.
Instead, hundreds crowded into the high school from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to browse through the offerings of 135 vendors ranging from Damsel in Defense’s pepper spray and stun guns to “pie lady” Becky Minamyer of New Waterford, and husband, Mike, of NewMe’s Pies, where shoppers might well have been out of luck if they didn’t reserve their favorites early.
By the way, the most called-for is Becky’s personal favorite, her original “surprise cherry-peach-pineapple pie.”
“Customers always come to the Canfield Lions Club’s show,” said Becky, “because they know it’s a good show with quality vendors and unique gift ideas, and it’s inside under one roof.”
Tina Starr of Boardman, owner of TS Creations, said Saturday was her 10th or 12th appearance at the show. At her booth were handmade pot-holders in colorful motifs ranging from seasonal and kitchen themes to wolves in the wild. While $2 pot holders were her original product when she started TS Creations in 1998, four years ago, she added wire-wrapped natural stone pendants to the booth.
“I make jewelry that I hope people wear and keep. I love seeing my jewelry on people when they come back,” she said.
Customers such as Claire and Bob Jones of Boardman, visiting the spring show for the first time, are what keep the vendors coming back.
There was a nice variety of vendors and a perfect day to shop, aid Claire, who purchased a ceramic egg as an Easter decoration.
When asked if he bought anything, Bob said with a smile: “I carry the bag.”
When the vendors and customers are numerous and happy, so are the organizers of the show, the proceeds of which help fund Canfield Lions Club’s eyesight programs and other community service projects.
The club provides food baskets through Food for the Hungry in Canfield city and Canfield Township and purchases eyeglasses for people who can’t afford them, said Caroline Phillips of Boardman, show chairwoman.
Part of the eyesight program is helping provide vision screening, conducted by optometrist Dr. Carmela Abraham, for children in the first and third grades in Canfield and surrounding areas and for pre-school children in Canfield schools only, said John Africa of Canfield Township, who along with Jim Duncan of Canfield city, coordinates vendor activities for the show. Patricia Murphy of Canfield handles the show’s records and finances.
While the spring crafts show is one of Canfield Lions Club’s single biggest fundraisers, its fish fry at A La Cart Catering in Canfield several times during Lent and the first Friday of every month, except June and December, is the club’s overall biggest money-raiser, Duncan said.
Phillips, who grew up in Canfield, estimated that upwards of 1,000 customers attended Saturday’s show.
“The Canfield Lions Club is very grateful for the support of the community,” she said.