Veterans park to get helping hand from craft fair

If this wintry weather has you itching to get out of the house, the Bartlett Hills Golf Club might be a good stop.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, there will be a Craft and Vendor Fair at the club. And on Feb. 23, the club is hosting a scrapbook party.

The fair will feature 40 vendors displaying and selling their wares. There will also be a bake sale, raffles and a craft area for children.

"This is our second year doing the fair," said Mary Gearhart, organizer of the event. "We have some quiet months at this time of the year, so we use our seasonal staff to put the show on. Additionally, we give the proceeds from the vendor raffle, bake sales, and 50/50 raffle to charities. Last year, we gave about $300 to an organization that rescued animals, and this year the proceeds will go to the Veterans Memorial Foundation to help with their memorial park project."

Offerings include jewelry, stationery, candles, floral, and gift items. Clothing, hair accessories, and hand-painted items will also be available.

One of the vendors will be Stephanie Opel of Carol Stream, selling lia sophia jewelry.

Being an adviser for the jewelry line is a natural fit for the fashion major at the Illinois Institute of Art, Schaumburg. Opel said silver and gold are her big sellers right now.

"One of my most unique pieces is called, The Myth," Opel said. "It can be worn as a choker, or you can separate the chain to make it long. A popular item is Sangria. It's three necklaces in one and has a large red crystal. Depending on your mood, you can wear it as evening wear or make it a single everyday piece using just its chain."

Also going on both days will be a clearance sale at the club's pro shop. Attendees can expect blowouts of up to 50 percent off golf accessories, including clubs, balls, and apparel. While adults are busy shopping, children can occupy themselves at a children's craft table, creating with beans, noodles, markers and other items.

Free food samples from Tastefully Simple, Homemade Gourmet and Papa's Peppers will be available. Additionally, the club's restaurant, The Grille Room, will be selling baked goods.

"During these wintry days, our staff will be busy making homemade delicacies for the bake sale," Gearhart said. "Items will include cookies, tarts and fudge and range in price from $1 to $5."

Vendors will donate a raffle item from their collections. Every other hour, both days, one of the items will be raffled.

"I personally donated a new piece called Locomotion," said Opel, 24. "It's a four spiral necklace with blue and green crystals about 19 inches long that retails for $48. I'm glad to donate it for this fundraiser as a small token of my appreciation to veterans. People in my age group take them too much for granted, and they shouldn't."

Proceeds from the fair, along with an earlier tea party and the Feb. 23 scrapbook party at the club, which is owned by the village of Bartlett, will go the Veterans Memorial Foundation.

For the Feb. 23 event, four vendors participating will be Close to My Heart, Frozen Memories, Creative Memories and Stampin' Up.

"The ladies will be doing demonstrations, and how-to workshops," Gearhart said.

If you go

What: Craft and Vendor Fair

Where: Bartlett Hills Golf Club, 800 W. Oneida Ave., Bartlett

When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Admission: Free

Call: (630) 213-3103