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Special needs vendors to sell crafts Saturday

By Lightning Reports, Published: December 4, 2017

More than 35 special needs children and adults from Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina will display and sell their crafts at a special expo from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, at the Henderson County Athletics & Activity Center, 708 S. Grove St.

The event is being coordinated by Special Needs Sports of WNC in an effort to let the athletes (and others who may not be athletes) show off their talents to the community and raise some extra funds during the holidays. There is no charge to display or to attend, and organizers hope for a great turnout to support the special needs population.

“We’re still getting calls from people every day wanting to participate, even people who have never participated in our sports league, and we won’t turn anyone away, even on the day of the event,” said Donnie Jones, executive director of Special Needs Sports. “Now we need the community to come out and do their holiday shopping with us.”

Items for sale include artwork, crafts, lotions, baked goods, soaps, decorations, signs and more. Everything has been handmade by the “vendor” and the event is not intended to be a fundraiser for the organization. Proceeds from the sales will be kept by each seller.

The event is co-sponsored by Four Seasons Rotary Club, which supports Special Needs Sports through financial and in-kind donations, as well as Henderson County Parks and Recreation Department, which is donating the space. “We’re excited to help promote and support this event for our special needs athletes,” said Tiffany Ervin, past president of the Four Seasons Rotary Club. “Several of the kids would bring their artwork to the baseball games this summer to show it off, and we wanted a way to spotlight their talents to others. Baseball season ended in October, and we won’t start basketball until January, so this is a great way to keep them active during the ‘off-season’ and help them make a little extra spending money at the same time."