Christmas bazaar opens season

Colorful lights and a gaily-decorated Camp Sherman Community Hall greeted the throngs of early holiday shoppers as they moved through tables of holiday items provided by more than 20 vendors last weekend.

After taking a year off while the hall was refurbished, the Camp Sherman Holiday Bazaar was back, giving locals and visitors a chance to explore, shop and catch up with friends.

The hall’s lighting system was decorated with colorful hot air balloons made by students at Black Butte School. Tables overflowed with various holiday items from antique beaded watches, sweet treats for Christmas gifts, to hand-painted windows.

The large refurbished fireplace crackled with fire logs throughout the show.

Appetites were well served by Thai food dishes prepared by Pittaya Young assisted by Darcee Scott and Bill Young. Upstairs, in the hall’s loft section, bargain hunters were treated to the “Platinum Elephant” sale.

“Some good things are mixed with not so good things at white elephant sales,” said Haley Hancock. “We have better things on sale, hence the name.”

Hancock, a seventh grader, was also one of the vendors with a display of song bird nest boxes that she had made.

Betty Farm was back at her traditional corner stand in the hall displaying fudge, jams, peanut brittle and other treats.

“My best seller is ‘Sisters Traffic Jam,’” Betty reported.

Her husband Lee Farm dispensed cookie samples to willing samplers on Friday evening.

During Saturday’s snow, he drove his 1930 Model A Ford truck from their nearby home to the hall.

“I wanted people to know that my truck could make it here in the snow,” he said.

Kelsey White displayed her hand-painted windows against the existing hall windows and they glowed brightly in Saturday’s afternoon sun.

On a nearby wall hung Tonye Belinda’s whimsical folk-art framed appliqués.

The “Bead Lady,” Sue Blanchard, patiently explained her collection of antique beads, which she offered in finished watches.

The sale is a benefit for Camp Sherman’s Black Butte School.