With the holidays fast approaching, parents at the Hinesville First United Methodist Church Preschool and Kindergarten created a community shopping opportunity Thursday.
The school held its third annual Holiday Vendor Fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to give parents, teachers and the public a chance to shop a variety of wares without the need to travel or find a babysitter.
“It’s fun because Hinesville is small, and there’s not a lot of shopping here,” parent council coordinator Amy Cherry said. “It gives the parents a chance to shop while their kids are in school.”
The event gives parents an opportunity to showcase and sell their products, which ranged from handmade crafts to catalogue items to showcases from local businesses like Coastal Kids Clothing and Gifts.
Shoppers stopped throughout the day to peruse kitchen items, customized purses and bags, as well as jewelry and pet treats.
Vendors each paid $10 to participate and donated a gift item to be raffled. Vendor fees covered the cost of advertising, and money raised from the raffle will benefit the school’s Parent Council, Cherry said.
The school’s director, Marian Letnauchyn, said this year’s event is the largest they’ve seen.
“I think it’s wonderful,” she said. “It brings the school and the community together.”