Donald Teuma-Castelletti
QUYON Nov. 11, 2017
The Onslow Elementary School was overrun with crafts, fresh food, vendors and kids on Saturday, with a visit from Santa Claus making an excellent reason for children to hang out in a classroom on the weekend.
All of this was going on as the ninth annual Onslow School Christmas Craft Show took over, complete with over 30 vendors, Santa photos and a Remembrance Day ceremony.
With a wide variety of merchants, from knitting to preserves and even local authors, there was plenty to draw in the crowds, especially with money raised by the school’s parent committee benefitting the purchase of a new playground for the facility.
“It’s time for a new one, we just started fundraising this year but we’re hoping to have it installed this summer for the next school year,” said Stacy Johnston, president of the Onslow Elementary home and school committee.
Besides preparing and selling a selection of lunch choices, the committee also had clothing options with the school’s revamped logo for sale. Redesigned and launched this school year, the blue jay mascot was kept but one of the committee members developed a modern look for the logo.
That’s not all that was new this year though, as some vendors made their debut at the craft show, too.
Julie Bertrand had a table of her jams and preserves on display in one of the classrooms, selling her wares from a table simply titled, From Our Garden. Featuring pickles, salsa, salted caramel and even some homemade dog treats, all produced from her property in Luskville, she made sure to bring along a bit of help, too.
“The dog cookies come from Alex,” she laughed, putting an arm around her son, Alexandre Letang.
This was Bertrand’s first year selling her products and first craft show, too. Having always produced the preserves and sauces, she decided to give a bit of entrepreneurialism a shot.
“My salsa was a huge hit this summer, so I decided to try selling it at craft shows,” she said.
In honour of Remembrance Day, a ceremony was held at 11 a.m. by the children. A wreath was donated by Quyon Legion Branch 231, and poppies and wreaths made of construction paper were displayed as well. The kids read “In Flanders Fields” and a few other poems, and the “Last Post” was played, too.
