News photo: Darby Hinkley Marian Maasshoff from Ivy Patch Designs poses with her hand-painted ceramics.

Alpina-After the first interruption in more than 30 years, the Ella White Christmas Market attracted a large crowd on Saturday and was held at a new location in Alpina High School, with more space.

Compared with the narrow corridors of Ella White Elementary School, where customers happily mix up shopping without socializing, the crowding here is much lower.

The suppliers are satisfied with the layout and new location, and the teachers are happy to see so many people attending the fair and supporting their school by participating in the classroom basket lottery.

"As a classroom teacher, fundraising activities are our main source of income," said Ella White teacher Christinesuchey, who provided a lottery basket worth more than $835 in her classroom called "All About Alpena."

"It takes a lot of time, dedication and parental support," she explained, regarding access to all gift cards and gift baskets for donations. "Parents will go out and ask for donations, they will donate things, some teachers will go out and walk down the street. They will go to the center of Alpena and ask for donations. It starts with a theme and then from there."

News photo taken by Darby Hinkley Roseback of Rogers City poses with her chef hat and apron and various handmade bibs at the Ella White Christmas Fair for the first time at Alpena High School on Saturday.

22 baskets are available for lottery, each with a different theme, from sports to pet care, from date night to movie night and so on.

"For us, this means that we can buy much-needed resources...students can use it every day," Suchey explained. "In the long run, it supports their learning."

All proceeds from the gift baskets will be returned to the classroom for supplies and other items that teachers need to provide students with the best educational experience.

She said her basket "depends on donations from local companies, and they are very generous."

Su Qi is very grateful for the generosity of our community.

Press photo: Darby Hinkley Sara MacArthur took a photo with her creative merchandise at the Ella White Christmas Market on Saturday, the first time it was held at Alpena High School.

"I want to thank the community for supporting us," she said. "We are very grateful for the opportunity to host this event this year so that we can obtain much-needed supplies."

Ella White PTO also organized a baking bazaar to raise funds to help the entire school. PTO President Kristin Barden (Kristin Barden) said that this year's funds are dedicated to the spiritual clothing of all students.

"The community is great, we made $1,300," Baden said.

Although this is a huge fundraising event for Ella White, the Christmas Fair is an annual event that many community members and vendors look forward to every year. Some suppliers are satisfied with the new location and turnout.

Marian Maasshoff of Ivy Patch Designs makes exquisite hand-painted ceramics with unique designs on the front and back.

"Everything is hand-painted, at least once or twice," Maasshoff said. "The most important thing for me is the back. So, all the backs have designs, similar to the front designs. The things on the back are interesting, and people will know that it's me."

Three years ago, she moved to Alpina when she retired.

"We like it," she said of Alpina. "It's a bomb. This is the best place in the world to survive the COVID-19 pandemic."

She had previously shown it at the Ella White Fair, and this year she was very happy to see it moved to high school.

"It's too close, too tight," she said. "So, this is awesome."

Ella White principal Tom Berriman wanted to move it to high school, and he was happy to see the positive response, he said Saturday.

Also on Saturday, Roseback of Rogers City expressed that she was very happy to be at the market.

Buck makes unique multi-pattern bibs for babies, toddlers and adults, including exquisite tuxedo bibs designed for fashionable gentlemen. She also makes junior chef hats and aprons for little bakers and aspiring chefs.

"I make baby bibs, and they cover from the chin to the shins," she explained, speaking of her unique bibs with Velcro ankle straps. "A lot of me have waterproof padding in them."

Believe it or not, her adult bib is a bestseller.

"Mine has ties and bow ties, you can buy them with them," she said.

"The environment is great," she said of high school.

Sarah MacArthur agreed. She is from Lachine and works creatively at home.

"We have been making maple syrup since the 1800s," she said of her family. "Moreover, we have slowly added other things. I recently bought a laser engraving machine and started using it."

She provides leather products, such as key chains and iron patches, with whimsical quotes on them. However, she is really good at customizing items.

"What I really like to do is custom work," she said. "I did a lot of customized things, such as putting grandma's handwriting on the cutting board."

She also prepared hand tool kits for the children.

"I'm really happy that we have the opportunity to do this this year," MacArthur added.

For more photos of the Saturday market, please refer to the lifestyle page.

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