Customers happily mingled and shopped with plenty of social distancing, in a much-less congested atmosphere than the narrow hallways of Ella White Elementary School.

Vendors were pleased with the layout and the new location, and teachers were excited to see so many people attending the bazaar and supporting their school by participating in the classroom basket raffle.

“The fundraiser is our main source of income, as a classroom teacher,” said Ella White teacher Christine Suchey, whose classroom offered a raffle basket worth over $835, called “All About Alpena.”

“It takes a lot of time, dedication, parent support,” she explained about getting all the gift cards and donated items for the gift baskets. “Parents will go out and ask for donations, they will donate items, some teachers get out there and walk the streets. They will go downtown Alpena and they ask for donations. It starts with a theme, and then it goes from there.”

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Rose Buck, of Rogers City, poses with her chef’s hat and pinafore, and a variety of handcrafted bibs Saturday at the Ella White Christmas Bazaar, held at Alpena High School for the first time.

Twenty-two baskets were up for raffle, each with a different theme, from sports to pet care to date night to movie night and more.

“What it means to us, is that we can purchase much-needed resources … that students can use on a daily basis,” Suchey explained. “It, in the long run, supports their learning.”

All the proceeds from the gift baskets go back to the classrooms to use for supplies and other things teachers need to offer the best educational experience to students.

She said her basket “depended on donations from area businesses, and they were extremely generous.”

Suchey is so appreciative of the generosity of our community.

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Sara MacArthur poses with her creative wares at Saturday’s Ella White Christmas Bazaar, held for the first time at Alpena High School.

“I would just thank the community for supporting us,” she said. “We are very appreciative of the opportunity to have this event this year, so that we can get much-needed supplies.”

The Ella White PTO also held a bake sale to raise funds to help the school overall. This year’s funds were earmarked for spirit wear for all the students, according to PTO President Kristin Barden.

“The community is amazing, and we made $1,300,” Barden stated.

While it is a huge fundraiser for Ella White, the Christmas bazaar is an annual event many community members and vendors look forward to each year. Several vendors were happy with the new location and the turnout.

Marian Maasshoff of Ivy Patch Designs makes beautiful hand-painted ceramics with unique designs on both the front and back.

“Everything is hand-painted, fired at least once or twice,” Maasshoff said. “My big thing is the backs. So, all of the backs have designs, similar to what’s on the front. Something on the back is interesting, and that’s how people will know that it’s me.”

She moved to Alpena three years ago, when she retired.

“We love it,” she said of Alpena. “It’s the bomb. This was the best place to ride out COVID, in the world.”

She has shown at the Ella White bazaar before, and she was happy to see it moved to the high school this year.

“It was so close, so tight,” she said. “So, this has been, like, fabulous.”

Ella White Principal Tom Berriman had the idea to move it to the high school, and he was very glad to see the positive reception, he said on Saturday.

Also on Saturday, Rose Buck of Rogers City expressed her joy to be at the bazaar.

Buck makes unique multi-patterned bibs for babies, toddlers, and adults, including a fancy tuxedo bib for the fashionable gentlemen. She also makes junior chef hats and pinafores for little bakers and aspiring chefs.

“I make the baby bibs, they cover from the chin to the shin,” she explained, talking about her unique bibs with velcro ankle straps. “I have a lot of them with waterproof liners in them.”

Believe it or not, her adult bibs are best-sellers.

“Mine have ties and bow ties you can purchase with them,” she said.

She also paints gourds.

“This setting is excellent,” she said of the high school.

Sara MacArthur agrees. She’s from Lachine, and does her creative work out of her home.

“We’ve been making maple syrup since the 1800s,” she said of her family. “And, other things, we’ve added on slowly. I recently bought a laser engraver, and have taken off with that.”

She offers leather items, such as key chains and iron-on patches, with whimsical quotes on them. She really specializes in custom items, though.

“What I really like to do is custom work,” she said. “I do a lot of custom things, like taking Grandma’s handwriting and putting it on a cutting board.”

She also has craft kits for kids.

“I’m really glad that we have the opportunity to do it this year,” MacArthur added.

For more photos from Saturday’s bazaar, see the Lifestyles page.

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