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Octorara townlively.com

NOVEMBER 8, 2023

SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954

VOL XXXIII • NO 36

Ten Thousand Villages gift shop set in Oxford BY FRANCINE FULTON

Craft fair to feature vendors, homemade food and Santa BY FRANCINE FULTON

ur Lady of Consolation Early Learning Center (OLC-ELC) will host its 37th annual craft fair on Saturday, Nov. 11, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Schneider Parish Center, 2995 Cemetery Road, Parkesburg. In addition to craft sales, homemade food will be available to purchase, and there will be a visit by Santa. More than 40 artisans, crafters and vendors will be featured. “There will be two floors full of crafters,” said the parish’s director of religious education, Janice Dagney, who is also one of the event organizers. Offered for sale will be wreaths, wooden flags, candles, jewelry, holiday décor, soaps, candles, crocheted and sewn items, pottery and pet items, including dog bandanas. A new crafter this year will offer birdhouses made

“Each of our crafters donates an item, so we will have more than 40 different prizes throughout the day.” Food items offered for sale will include homemade chicken corn soup, chili, gourmet chicken salad and quiches. For dessert, there will be baked goods, including homemade nut rolls, as well as kettle corn. “Some people will come just for the food,” Dagney commented.

Santa will stop by for a visit and sit for pictures from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. A nominal fee will be charged. Visitors can enter to win door prizes throughout the day. Winners do not have to be present to claim their prize. “Each of our crafters donates an item, so we will have more than 40 different prizes throughout the day,” Dagney said. Attendees will have an opportunity to win a turkey for Thanksgiving. No purchase is necessary. “When (people) walk in, they will get a ticket to be entered into the drawing,” Dagney explained. “We will have a ‘turkey hunt’; they will have to search for the turkey container to put their ticket in.” There will also be a drawing for themed gift baskets that have been assembled by preschool families. “We have a preschool basket with preschool games and toys, a family basket with gift cards to places to

See Ten Thousand Villages pg 3

Southern End moms stick together BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD

W hen Aubrie Fry of Christiana was pregnant with her son, she attended a Lititz Stroller Gang meeting with her friend Becca Leboon. The group comprises mothers from across the county who regularly gather to go for a walk and exchange mother-to-mother support. Fry loved the idea, but she realized there was no equivalent to the Lititz Stroller Gang in the Southern End. In the months following the birth

See Craft fair pg 8

of her son, Fry found herself struggling with postpartum challenges, and she decided it was time for the Southern End to have its own support group for mothers. Fry reached out to Leboon and a few other friends to help with the logistics of creating the group and setting up its Facebook page. Fry also reached out to the leader of the Lititz Stroller Gang for advice. “She told me that if it was something God led me to, then people would show up,” Fry said. Fry and her friends held their first meeting last July, calling See Southern End Strollers pg 6

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from license plates. “Also new is the Philadelphia Mead Company winery,” Dagney said. Visitors will also be able to enjoy a chair massage offered by one of the vendors, and face painting will be available for children for a small fee.

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Early Learning Center students are looking forward to the annual craft fair.

“People can buy Christmas presents, but this (local shop) is helping people all over the world,” said Beverly Hartgrove, who runs the Ten Thousand Villages Shop offered annually at Oxford Presbyterian Church (OPC). “ We are shopping, but helping others at the same time.” Ten Thousand Villages offers home décor, accessories and gift items made by artisans around the Cochranville author Iris Gray Dowling will world. A founding member be on hand to sign copies of her books on of the World Fair Trade Dec. 1. This year, the shop at OPC will be Organization, the Ten Thousand open on Saturdays and Sundays Villages organization ensures that artisans receive a fair price for their through Dec. 17 from 10 a.m. to work, while offering shoppers an noon. In addition, the shop will be opportunity to buy unique hand- open on Friday, Dec. 1, from 5 to crafted items. According to 8 p.m., during which time chilwww.tenthousandvillages.com, dren’s author Iris Gray Dowling of every purchase directly impacts the Cochranville will be on hand to life and community of its maker in sign copies of her books, which are available to purchase in the shop. a developing country.


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