Special Shout-out to Raffle and Silent Auction Donors |
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Over the years Plowshares raffle This year’s silent auction (a more recent addition than |
The feeling at the annual Plowshares Craftsfair is
always special, but this year it was extra special. Whether it was the
u[img_assist|nid=171|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=303|height=303]nusually warm December weather or something else, it was indeed a weekend to
remember.
Whether you were shopping for
Christmas, Chanukah, or Kwanzaa presents, or simply looking to connect with
friends old and new, Plowshares was the place to be.
A record crowd of over 4,000 young
and old came to Nottingham High School to enjoy the Peace Council’s 41st annual
fair and festival.
More than 100 craftsfolk from Buffalo
to Albany to Ithaca to Oswego joined those from Central New York to offer
handmade jewelry, ceramics, clothing, woodwork, graphic arts and other crafts.
Many have been displaying their wares at Plowshares for more than a decade, in
some cases over 20 years.
Plowshares also provided an
opportunity for community groups to connect with an audience of several
thousand people. Participating groups represented peace, refugee support,
animal rescue, food and environmental issues, amongst others. Of particular interest
this year was the effort to protect our region from “fracking.”
This year, the tasty and wholesome
food at Plowshares, enjoyed over animated conversation with old friends and new
acquaintances, was prepared by Peg Gefell and Paul Frazier on behalf of SPC.
Plowshares is not just a weekend of
good times and support for local handmade crafts. It is also the largest annual
fundraiser for SPC. Plowshares revenue directly supports the Peace Council’s 75
years of work on peace and justice issues. This year’s fair was the most
successful ever, both in numbers of attendees and funds raised.
Creating the wonderful annual weekend
that Plowshares has become is the result of the work of many people, including
those who work all year long (the Plowshares Committee: Barbara Floch, Lanny
Freshman, Karen Kerney, Rae Kramer, Andy Molloy, Beth Mosely, Marie Summerwood
and Mardea Warner) and specialists whose help is invaluable at the time of the
fair itself. Some of the most important of these wonderful helpers include:
Michael Miller, Bonnie Foley, Rose Viviano, Shay Resnick and Sue Nuccio. A
small army, if I may use that word, of volunteers also provide invaluable help
as “greeters,” table staffers, and with set-up and clean-up. We would also like
to express our appreciation to Nottingham High School principal, Don Maynard,
and to the power behind his throne, Ms. Tonea Walker.
