LPOHS gift fair is Saturday
(Courtesy photo) Leata Judd, left, and Lake Pend Oreille High School student Caitlin Yarber, right, stand behind a display of artwork created by Judd during last year’s Christmas Gift Fair at LPOHS. While Judd recently passed away, some of her pottery will again be for sale during this year’s fair on Saturday, which will feature a number of vendors selling arts and crafts, soaps, succulents, artisan foods, jams jellies and more.
SANDPOINT — A survey in December 2018 by the National Retail Federation found that 56 percent of holiday shoppers wait until the last Saturday before Christmas to do their gift shopping.
Therefore, while some people may have finished their shopping this year, it is likely there are many who are still looking for that perfect gift for a friend or loved one. There is hope for those who waited, however, as Lake Pend Oreille High School is hosting its third annual Christmas Gift Fair this Saturday, with plenty of gift ideas for the holiday procrastinators. The fair will resemble an indoor farmers market, with arts and crafts, artisan foods, handmade gifts, soaps, succulents, jams and jellies and more. There will, in fact, be some of the Sandpoint Farmers Market vendors in attendance, including Sharon Gunter with her handmade baskets, and LPOHS science teacher Brenda Woodward with her homemade jams, said Randy Wilhelm, LPOHS career-technical education teacher.
The tradition started in 2017 after Leata Judd, local artist and long-time volunteer in Wilhelm’s art class, mentioned that she had some artwork laying around and suggested an arts and crafts show. Although Judd will not be there this year, as she passed away in September at the age of 90, several pottery pieces will be available for purchase at the Christmas fair. Funds raised from Judd’s artwork will benefit a group of LPOHS students in their plans to take a once-in-a-lifetime trip to New York and Washington, D.C., in June, where they will visit places such as the White House and Smithsonian, and will have the opportunity to see a Broadway play among other sites, Wilhelm said.
Wilhelm said the fair was also started as a way to connect the students with the community, as some will be helping out on Saturday. LPOHS teacher Rand Rosecrans and his culinary arts class will be preparing some hot soup and finger foods for the event as well.
The gift fair will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, in the LPOHS gym, 1005 N. Boyer Ave. The gym is located on the northwest corner of the school property, behind the greenhouse.
Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.