St. Albert seniors are sewing sweaters and carving trees this week in preparation for a pair of Christmas markets.
The St. Albert Seniors Association is hosting a pair of Christmas markets in the next few weeks at Red Willow Place (7 Tache Place) to raise funds for its operations.
The first is the association’s annual Christmas craft sale, where guests can peruse a vast array of clothes, toys, and works of art handmade by association volunteers for purchase. The sale runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Nov. 29 and 30.
The second is the Santa’s secret workshop and kids’ Christmas Party scheduled for Dec. 7 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For just $20, kids will get to explore a Christmas market stocked with donated and handcrafted items, said association program manager Corinne Friedrick. Kids will get to pick out gifts for their parents (which volunteers will wrap) and enjoy cookies, hot chocolate, and a visit from Santa, Mrs. Claus, and The Grinch.
The workshop was an attempt to bring seniors and grandkids together, said association executive director Linda Ensley.
“Seniors live in families, and the more we can involve their families, the better,” she said.
Volunteer elves
Julie Hushagen, 79, was one of the roughly 15 volunteers at the association knitting clothes for the sales. Guests should expect to see a variety of hats, socks, mittens, and other woolly wonders, as well as some fabric-based books and foldable cushions.
“These Aran sweaters are our bestsellers,” she said, adjusting an example of one on a mannequin. Volunteer Alice Treloar makes each of them, and typically knits one a week.
Volunteer Darryl Wolter, 74, sawed and painted an array of abstract wooden Christmas trees for the sales.
“Each piece is different,” he noted, and each took about an hour to make.
Hushagen and Wolter said volunteers meet throughout the year at Red Willow Place to chat, hang out, and work on knitting and woodworking projects using donated materials.
“We all become very good friends through this,” Hushagen said.
Wolter said the volunteers rely on own imagination to figure out what to make, adding they often do custom orders for clients. He and the wood shop team (led by Tony Robinson) were finishing off an array of birdhouses, planters, and puzzle boards for the Christmas sales.
“It’s a lot of fun with the guys,” he said, and a chance to socialize and enjoy woodworking.
Ensley said volunteers have raised some $70,000 so far this year for the association through events like these sales, and racked up some 20,382 volunteer hours in the process.
“They [the volunteers] love this place and work really hard to help keep the doors open,” Ensley said.
“We could not do this without them.”
Call 780-459-0433 for details on these events.
