Craft Show this weekend highlights local vendors

The Blackwell House of Prayer’s fourth annual fall craft show will be Saturday at the Blackwell Event Center, and church members say the event will be a prime opportunity for Christmas shopping.

More than 60 vendors will set up booths, and four food trucks will be on hand to keep customers fed, said Nellie Jack, who helped organize the event.

“I hope to see a fantastic turnout that will come and bless vendors,” Jack said. “If you just need something unusual for Christmas, I’m sure you’ll find it there.”

Vendors will offer homemade items, including quilts, wreathes, flower arrangements, wooden products and more. Homemade jams and jellies will also be for sale. The church’s youth group will have a concession stand inside the event center as well.

“We had a fantastic turnout for our first year,” said Patricia Prince, who helped start the event. “This year is going to be even more spectacular.

“Our vendors are coming from all over. We have them from the Kay County area, of course, and some are traveling from Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, you name it. It's an excellent opportunity for everyone involved.”

Show-goers who donate a new toy at the event will have their names entered for a chance to win door prizes, Jack said. The toys will be donated to the Blackwell Fire Department’s annual Christmas for Kids program, which gives gifts to local families in need.

Proceeds from the craft show will be used to pay for the church’s community service projects throughout the year, Jack said.

The event will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the event center on south Main Street. Admission is free.

“I think everybody will find something to buy and have a fun day,” said Raelene Kincaid, another event organizer. “I hope a lot of people show up.”

The House of Prayer has several other community service projects in the works.

The church is collecting food donations to give away 12 Thanksgiving dinners to local families on Nov. 22, Jack said. In the coming weeks, church members will have boxes at various locations – including United, Continental Credit and the Goodbye Shoppe – where people can enter to win a dinner. More locations will be added, Jack said. Church members will draw winners and call them to pick up the food. The dinners will not be prepared, so winners will have to cook them at home.

Church members are also collecting donations for a Blackwell High School student’s 4-H project: Colton Tripp’s widely publicized “Comfort Bags” initiative, which provides blankets, pillows, stuffed animals and other items to children who have been removed from their homes. The bags are given to local law enforcement agencies for distribution. Church members are collecting coloring books, crayons, small stuffed animals, small pillows, small blankets, small shampoo bottles, small lotion bottles, pencils and toothbrushes, Jack said.

The church, 900 S. 9th St., will host a free community Christmas dinner Dec. 18 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

On Dec. 5, the Borderline Bluegrass band will perform during the Sunday morning church service.

Church members also sell baked goods. To place an order, find out more about church events or donate to a project, contact Jack by calling 580-670-4515 or Kincaid by calling 580-789-0600.

Staff writer Charles Gerian contributed to this report.