St. Regis Holiday Bazaar continues to thrive
Kathleen Woodford Mineral Independent | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 7 years, 11 months AGO
With more years than they can remember, Ilene Wolff and Kathy Koepke said the St. Regis Community Council has been putting on the Annual Holiday Bazaar. This year they had more tables than in the past with 38 which is 10 more than last year said Wolff.
The ladies, dress in holiday apparel including Santa hats, welcomed people and took money for raffle tickets. Raffle winners received a laundry list of things including gift baskets, certificates, clothing and much more. Funds raised go to a $1,000 scholarship for anyone who graduated from St. Regis High School regardless of what year they graduated.
There were a couple of other tables gathering donations for raffle tickets as well. The St. Regis Senior Center was raffling off a lovely quilt made by Mary Eldridge. Eldridge belongs to the Cabin Fever Quilt Guild and said she started sewing when she was just five-years-old making clothes for her dolls.
The drawing for the quilt will be held on February 5 at a dinner the Senior Center will be hosting. The Mineral County We Care Foundation was also holding a raffle for 50/50 tickets. Fund raised will be used to provide assistance to families and individuals in need.
There were tables full of a wide-range of items including jewelry, candles, and knitted items. People wandered around the room picking up Christmas gifts and perhaps gifts for themselves. Tyler Cheesman was on-hand making custom t-shirts. Next to Tyler was her mother selling a variety of iron hooks, hangers and home décor. In the summer she runs the small business, Exit 33 Lawn and Garden Décor shop.
Julie Thomas-Buckhouse from St. Regis had a table full of hand carved elk antler jewelry. As well as polished stone necklaces and earrings beautifully wrapped in silver and copper wire. Young entrepreneurs also had tables. Macy Hill, 12, was selling snowmen she had made out of socks filled with rice which she said would make a great door stop. She also had jewelry made from colorful rubber bands and candles. Alongside her was her brother who was selling a tableful of toys.
Eleven-year-old Brooke Filek is already on the road to success as she sold a variety of baked and canned goods including salsa her dad had made. She is raising money for her college fund and wants to attend Montana State University and become a veterinarian.
There was a table of chain maille jewelry by WB Links. Holding up a chain, Ben McFadgen said it can take up to a week to intricately link the tiny round pieces of metal together. Next to him was Kirk Bruce who recently move to St. Regis from Alberton. He had local stones polished and drilled out to be used as a vase, candle holder or a planter.
The bazaar ran from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and was held at the St. Regis Community Center.
ARTICLES BY KATHLEEN WOODFORD MINERAL INDEPENDENT
Mineral County sends tax bill to Forest Service
The Forest Service will be receiving a property tax bill from Mineral County this year. County Commissioners Laurie Johnston, Roman Zylawy and Duane Simons signed the letter March 9 requesting property tax revenue for 2017. The “historic letter” as defined by Rep. Denley Loge, describes the plight Mineral County is facing as options to fund the county have dried up.
Colorado woman dies after vehicle gets stuck
An early evening call received by Mineral County dispatch on Friday, March 17, ended in tragedy. The body of Colorado resident Debra Ann Koziel was found in the Fish Creek area by a search team the following Tuesday afternoon. Her death was determined to be the result of exposure to weather.
No major flooding as snow thaws
“As the ground starts thawing, the rocks start falling,” was a post made on the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook page last week. A photo accompanied the post of a big rock which had come down on Mullan Road East near the Big Eddy fishing access in Superior on March 11. “Please be aware of your surroundings and pay attention while driving,” they warned in the post.