Woman’s Club brings back annual event
By Tracy Ouellette
SLN Staff
After taking a one-year hiatus, the East Troy Woman’s Club is returning its annual Arts and Crafts Fair to the East Troy Village Square Saturday.
“We took a break last year because the road work in the Village Square was supposed to run until July,” club member Jody Garber said. “They actually finished the work early, but we didn’t know that was going to happen when we made the decision.”
The fair will feature more than 30 participating vendors with wearable art and accessories, handmade painting and etched glassware, handmade jewelry and purses, woodcarvings, garden art and paintings by a local artist.
“I think we have two actual artists, one who paints with acrylics and, I think, watercolors and the other one who has etchings. There’s also a potter and vendors with stained glass, wooden items and carved items and jewelry. We have some nice things that might be a little different this year, other than what people might think of,” club member Jackie Gotz said.
“We have a number of really nice vendors this year and many of us start our Christmas shopping at this event,” Garber added.
The organizers are still accepting vendors, for more information on reserving a booth, contact Gotz at 414-881-5620 or email to jackiegotz@gmail.com.
Giving back
The craft fair is the club’s biggest fundraiser of the year and the money raised at the event helps fund scholarships for East Troy High School seniors.
“It’s our hope to give two, $1,000 scholarships to graduating high school students with our profits,” Garber said. “This is why I joined the Woman’s Club, to pay back to the community, particularly with the scholarships.”
This year, the club awarded scholarships to East Troy High School seniors Elizabeth Malicki and Taylor Schmitt.
All money from the fair goes back into the community in the form of scholarships and donations to local, non-profit, volunteer organizations.
“We just want to thank the community for all the support they’ve given us over the years; it means a lot to us,” Garber said.
Have lunch at the fair
One of the things the Woman’s Club Arts and Craft Fair is known for is its barbecue lunch.
“People do come specifically for the barbecue,” Garber said. “The last couple of years we’ve added walking tacos, which people also seem to enjoy.”
The barbecue is made by Woman’s Club members and has been part of the fair since the beginning, Gotz said.
“They have a secret recipe, I can’t tell you it,” Gotz said with a laugh.
The bake sale that runs during the craft fair is also popular with the locals and visitors, Garber said.
“It’s all made by club members,” she said.
Also featured this year will be a raffle for a quilt made by club member Ellen Weber.
About the club
Area women interested in forming some new friendships while serving the community are invited to check out the East Troy Woman’s Club.
Chartered in 1945, the club is a member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, an international women’s organization dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service.
The GFWC was founded in 1890 and over the years has founded more than 75 percent of the nation’s libraries, developed kindergarten programs in public schools, worked on food and drug regulation, and led drives for emergency relief efforts from World War I to 9/11 to Haiti and more.
For more information on the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, visit www.gfwc.org.
To join the club, call Garber at 414-698-1595.
