7th annual Holiday Bazaar at First Methodist Church in Chandler raises funds, brings joy

Published 5:45 am Sunday, December 1, 2024

First Methodist Church in Chandler hosted the 7th annual Holiday Bazaar Saturday morning, bringing the community together for a festive day filled with unique gifts, handmade crafts and holiday cheer. The event not only brought support for more than 30 vendors and small businesses but also served as a fundraiser for the Methodist Women’s Group.

“The funds that we raise here are just put right back into either our church members or our community or our day school… whatever is needed,” said organizer Kasey Oliver. “We just like to help.”

In the last couple of years, the bazaar added food trucks to park in front of the building as a way to attract passersby. “They may stop and eat and realize there’s stuff going on here,” Oliver said. “We were excited to add the trucks.”

The fees paid by vendors for their spots contribute to the group’s fund, enabling them to assist those in need throughout the year.

“We have put on (the bazaar) over the years to help raise money for our… funds go to give out scholarships for different students, as well as different projects throughout the year, for needy families where we do some work at the nursing home and decorating or giving treats at Christmastime and things like that,” Oliver said.

Ranging from seasoned owners to young entrepreneurs, each vendor brought a diverse array of unique products and handmade goods that attracted attendees.

“Nobody here really has a storefront,” Oliver said. “So it gives them the opportunity to showcase their talents and reach out to the community, letting them know what they do. It’s a lot of fun.”

Ava Hopson has been participating in the holiday bazaar all throughout high school with her business, Little Blessings by Ava Grace, where all items are handmade.

“I do custom hanging tea towels that you hang on your oven, your bathroom,” Hopson said. “I also make rice bags that you can put in the microwave or the freezer for things like headaches or body aches.”

She started her business freshman year in high school and is now a freshman attending UT Tyler, studying nursing.

“I’m going to keep it going for as long as I can,” Hopson said. “God’s blessed me in a lot of ways with a lot of new customers every year, the same old customers that come year after year. I’ve got a really good support base with my family, helping out at home. So, I have really good support.”

As a cottage baker, Emmer Hadnot launched her business E’s Tasty Treats after she was baking cakes as needed.

“I would take food to work and people would ask me if I could bake them a cake and I pretty much turned it into a whole business,” she said. “When I get home from work, I wash up and start baking.”

Hadnot started off with pound cake but has blossomed into many options, including red velvet and Italian cream cakes, chocolate-dipped treats, fried pies, and more.

“We do a lot of custom orders — from weddings to baby showers,” she said. “We do just about any baked goods. Things just kind of evolved… so we’re always adding to the menu.”

According to Hadnot, the Chandler Chamber of Commerce has been encouraging the community to support more of the small businesses.

“It’s been a great experience, we’re building a lot of clientele,” Hadnot said. “The community support has been great. They’re always looking for me when I attend events.”

The sense of community was evident throughout the bazaar, highlighting the importance of local involvement in making the event a success.

“I just love our little community like they are all in on things like this,” Oliver said. “I just love that we’re able to open our doors for a good time and a good opportunity for the vendors to do their thing. The community support is just so good.”