The Helping Hands Craft Fair takes place in the Ron Einerson Fieldhouse on Nov. 7 beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at 3 p.m., according to Señora Shelley Aaholm, event coordinator. 

With an admission fee of $2 per person, the 110 vendor event features a variety of items for sale with net profits toward students in need. All items have to be handmade in order for the vendor to be a part of the Helping Hands Craft Fair. This year there will even be a woman with that makes lip gloss flavored with dill pickles and maple bacon. The welding classes will even have its own booth with student-made items including turkeys, pumpkins, and wind chimes made from recycled bleachers. Sra. Aaholm suggests to visit Kelly Quakkelaar’s “Grace Designs” booth. Quakkelaar sells her products on Etsy along with her husband. Sra. Aaholm animatedly described her with an incredible personality and an awesome businesswoman. Mad Dog and Merrill will also make an appearance at the fair along with other surprises.

The Helping Hands Craft Fair cannot be run just by Sra. Aaholm, though, so she enlists the help of volunteers from the high school and surrounding community. On Saturday she requests the help of 116 volunteers for doing a variety of jobs. Jobs can vary from helping vendors, making baskets beforehand, parking police outside and the used book sale. Sra. Aaholm said her biggest need is help Friday night in unloading the vendors’ items and then Saturday in the afternoon for tear down. If interested in becoming a volunteer, click here.

The 8th annual Helping Hands Craft Fair began for a great reason. It all began one year when Walmart wrote NHS a letter stating that the $1,000 grant the high school received would no longer be available. Sra. Aaholm summed it up saying, “Thanks, but we can no longer honor this. Here’s 25 bucks.” Then Sra. Aaholm and a few of her colleagues brainstormed together a way to raise money for the students who were in financial struggles. Their idea was the Helping Hands Craft Fair. It was first held in the cafeteria with 40 vendors and $25 for a booth. Now the fair is held in the Fieldhouse with a waiting list of 47 vendors and $60 per booth. Sra. Aaholm contributes the sudden growth of the Helping Hands Craft Fair toward the vendors being surprised by the high school student volunteers being nice and considerate toward them.

All the funds raised, around $12,000 based on 2014 totals, from the Helping Hands Craft Fair will be sent to the Guidance office where the counselors will distribute the money to students whose families are in financial struggles or have a lack of necessities. The counselors decide on whether to give a Walmart gift card, which buys clothing to food, or a direct check. Sra. Aaholm has no idea which students receive help, but she is proud of what she does each year.

When asked what keeps Sra. Aaholm coming back and doing the Helping Hands Craft Fair each year, she simply said, “Craziness.” The bright smile on her face, however, showed the love she truly has for the event. She explained that in high school she was involved in a Christmas Giving club for four years, even being the chair of the committee. She always volunteered with different things, and “this has just sucked me right in.” The fair allowed Sra. Aaholm to become close with the custodial staff and the vendors along with others.

With final advice to any newcomers, visitors or volunteers Sra. Aaholm said to kill the vendors with kindness.