Social Service League presents annual Craft Show
WAYNESBURG — Holiday spirit was in the air on Saturday, Nov. 5, at the 22nd annual Social Service League Craft Show.
During the traditional event, Waynesburg Central High School was filled will shoppers and vendors getting ready for the Christmas season with 49 vendors and 92 tables and spaces used by the vendors.
The Social Service League uses this annual craft show to benefit children in the Central Greene School District.
“This is the first year that we have charged admission for the craft show,” said Christine Turcheck, co-chairperson for the craft show. “Yet there have been no complaints. It has helped the flow of the non-steady traffic. It has been very busy.”
Turcheck provided details for how the Social Service League helps the children.
“Each year the Social Service League prepares Christmas baskets with the contents to provide a Christmas dinner for families who are in need,” she said. “Other needs are brought to the awareness of the league through teachers and other faculty.”
Funding also goes toward the League’s annual Easter Egg Hunt in the spring. The Easter Egg Hunt, which is held at West Park the Saturday before Easter, is open to all children.
Gladys Gales of Wadestown, West Virginia, has been a vendor at the show for many years. She and her husband do wood crafting and primitives. Gales does approximately 12 shows a years.
“I enjoy doing wood crafting and it provided me a hobby,” Gales said.
Debbie Coss, a member of the Social Service League, has been a vendor at the craft show since the first show. Coss found herself involved in basket weaving after finding a market basket for $100 at an antique show held at the fairgrounds.
“I liked the basket, but it was missing its back,” Coss said. “I decided to take a basket weaving class so I could fix the basket. I found that I really enjoyed it and it was relaxing.”
Coss was a teacher for the Central Greene School District and told her friends of the baskets she was making.
“I started taking orders for people for Christmas gifts,” she said. “Now, I make the baskets much quicker and faster than when I first started. I make a variety of styles and different sizes, from tea baskets to large baskets.”
Karen Willis of Jefferson, who is Coss’ sister, said she was looking for a hobby and her sister showed her a pattern for basket liners; she then began making different liners that fit a variety of her baskets.
When asked about the show, Willis said, “It has been an excellent day. I think that this craft show is great because it is held at the school. Everything is level and there is lots of parking.”
Stacey Pergar of Irwin has been a vendor at the show for four years. Terri Dieterle of Scenery Hill got Stacey interested in the show and now it is a joint venture.
“I had come to this show several times as a vendor and then brought Stacey along,” Dieterle said. “We make a variety of different wreaths. I stay at home with my kids and needed a hobby. The whole family is covered in glitter by the end of my projects.”
Donna Huffman, co-chairperson of the craft show, said the show was a success.
“There has been a very good crowd (this year),” she said. “There is a little of everything for everyone, including homemade food, quilting and photography.”
The annual craft show is held the first Saturday of every November, and Huffman said, “I am already getting applications from vendors for next year.”