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Elementary students aid Jingle Bell Alley
(by Sue Hoffman - December 07, 2011)
Elementary students aid Jingle Bell Alley
By SUE HOFFMAN
Duct-tape purses looked shiny and fashionable when crafted by Abigail Morgan, a second-grader at Timmons Elementary School in the Kenston School District. Among her creations are a sleek black handbag, glittering silver pocketbook with blue interior and round multicolored purse with fastener.
It was easy, Abigail said. "I made a sheet out of duct tape and folded it, and then put duct tape on the sides." She also made a wallet and headband, and her inventory keeps growing.
All of her wares will be sold in Jingle Bell Alley, a special section for young entrepreneurs, at the Silver Bells Holiday Boutique. The boutique will be open 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 10 at Timmons Elementary School, 9595 E. Washington St., in Bainbridge.
Abigail is one of 24 elementary school students who created items to sell at the annual one-stop community shopping event, along with approximately 70 professional artisans.
The free-admission event will also feature a holiday cookie sale by families from Gardiner Early Learning Center, a stocking stuffer station with Kenston spirit gear and holiday items, and a supervised "little elves' workshop" for children to create personalized crafts while parents shop.
Catered foods from the Spicy Tomato and other refreshments will be available for purchase. Raffle items total more than $10,000, including baskets worth several hundred dollars each, a sport trainer valued at $1,600 and sports event suites.
The school's holiday tree and greenery sale, featuring a variety of fresh-cut 6- to 10-foot evergreen trees, is open 5 to 9 p.m. Fridays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays through Dec. 17.
"All proceeds go to the award-winning One School One Book program and sustainable energy initiatives," said Jen Drozdowski, who's co-chairing the Silver Bells event for PTO. The annual event features many local artisans. "We'll have everything from jewelry to baked goods," she said.
"Last year we had about 700 attend," she said. "By adding additional child friendly activities, we're hoping to have more foot traffic."
It's the second year for Jingle Bell Alley, in which children 12 and under sell their creations. "It went over so well last year, when we had 12 children participating." With the large number of participants this year, the young vendors will be scheduled in two shifts.
Mrs. Drozdowski's children, Lauren, a third-grader, and Jackson, a first-grader, are among the vendors.
Lauren worked with third-grader Kelsey LaGanke in making animal toppers for colored pencils. The two girls created several animal toppers, including a hippo, hermit crab, buffalo, frog, tiger and chicken, out of fabric, pom-poms, pipe cleaners, feathers and more.
'You can put them on any pencil you want," Lauren said about the toppers, which will sell for $1 each.
Jackson will use a small Christmas tree to display a variety of round picture key chains. Photos range from Harry Potter and Justin Bieber to robots and Disney characters. "My favorite is 'Star Wars,'" said Jackson, who's selling the key chains for $1 each. Like a true businessman, he said about some of the buttons, "I had to include some for the girls, too."
Second-grader Madan Morris and his sister, Kaila, a first-grader, are also participating. Madan said he will be preparing chocolate-covered lollipops right before the sale and Kaila has created a variety of necklaces out of bottle caps.
"I drew designs with markers," and then glazed the bottle caps, said Kaila, who wore her favorite necklace, fashioned after a well-known reindeer, with a red gem for a nose, bells for ears and googly eyes.
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