Author Dorothy L. Sayers is credited with saying, "Don't let the smallest chance slip by; you never know until you try." Attempting something new can be quite intimidating for some people. When it comes to the staff at the Strasburg-Heisler Library, people will enjoy doing something different.
On Saturday, Oct. 23, Strasburg-Heisler Library will host its first Makers Market, where everything for sale will be handmade by local craftspeople. The rain-or-shine event will take place at the library, 143 Precision Ave., Strasburg, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendors will be located both outside and inside the library, and Mista Twista will sell soft-serve ice cream and affogato from its food truck. Library services will not be available the day of the event.
"I'm excited about the event!" exclaimed library executive director Kristin Fernitz. "We've been wanting to do this for a couple years, so we decided to give it a go and see what happens." She noted that if it goes well, the library would like to host it again next year.
Among the individuals who will sell items at the Makers Market are Deb Plum, Tom Manning, Donna Shirk, Jeremy Miller, Anne Frederickson, and Fernitz.
Plum started her company, Sugar Plum Candles, at the beginning of the pandemic selling hand-poured soy wax candles. It has since expanded into offering room sprays and reusable car fresheners. The products are sold online and at several local businesses. Manning was a master carpenter by trade for over 35 years. Now that he's retired, he devotes more time to making houses for birds, bats, and butterflies from reclaimed wood and other materials that he can upcycle and repurpose. Shirk is a painter of landscapes and farm animals. She has contributed pieces to local fundraisers for the Bahamas hurricane relief and Crossroads Mission Haiti.
Miller is the founder and CEO of Poiema Visual Arts, a ministry that seeks to provide opportunities for discipleship, education, and community to Pennsylvania-based Christian visual artists. He paints sunflowers on small blocks of wood, and he painted large ones on a door in the library. Frederickson is a colored pencil artist who re-creates the photos she takes of animals in her backyard, at the Pittsburgh Zoo, and at the National Aviary. The proceeds from her notecard sales go directly to the Jewish Family Services of Lancaster, which provides legal counsel to unaccompanied minors. Fernitz is an accomplished sewist of special-occasion dresses and uniforms for Civil War re-enactors. The proceeds from her tote bags will support the general operating fund of the Strasburg-Heisler Library.
"The Makers Market will provide people with good opportunities for Christmas shopping," said Fernitz. "Bring your friends or bring your neighbors. Enjoy what people make and bring home something that will make you happy."
Those interested in participating as a maker can apply at https://strasburglibrary.org. Entries will be accepted until Wednesday, Oct. 20. For more information, contact Fernitz at kfernitz@strasburglibrary.org or 717-687-8969.
Leave a Review