St. Bernard Women’s Club Bazaar set for Nov. 4

BELLA VISTA — The 36th annual St. Bernard Women’s Club Holiday Bazaar will be 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 4 at the church’s parish hall. The theme for this year is “Open Your Hearts to Christmas.”

Patty Carter, chairman for the event, said the parish is filled with talented ladies who make crafts from February through October each year. She said the bazaar started years ago as a bake sale and somewhere along the way someone started bringing crafts in, and it evolved from there. Now the event showcases the crafts, along with “trinkets and treasures” which are new or gently used donated items, a bake sale and a cafe.

“There’s nothing special about us, we’re just a group of women and one of the ways we can serve God in our community is through this bazaar,” Carter said. She added there is a good representation of good products and good prices.

Items for purchase will include floral centerpieces, wreaths, wooden door hangers, fabric pumpkins, ornaments, Santas, snowmen, elves, wood products, painted items, pictures, potholders, table runners, decorative hand towels, crocheted “scrubbies,” T-shirts and wooden skis.

For the annual raffle, items featured will include a quilt made by the crafters, a Raggedy Ann and Andy, a children’s gift basket, a hand-crafted red cedar table, a “Joy” wooden sign and $150 in gift cards.

There will also be a 50/50 drawing, with tickets costing $1. There is no admission fee for the bazaar.

Baked goods for sale will include pies, cakes, candies, cookies, breads and specialty items.

At the cafe, cinnamon rolls will be served, and for lunch, there will be pulled pork, homemade chili and chicken noodle soup, all donated by the ladies of the parish, and homemade pie. Dine-in or carry-out is available.

Carol Roller, who heads up Trinkets and Treasures, said she sells a lot of home decor at the bazaar, as well as Christmas decorations and glassware.

“Everything has to be new or gently used,” she said. “We don’t take anything chipped or in need of repair.”

Jane Mollicone, president of the women’s club and co-chair of the bazaar, said during covid when the ladies could not have the bazaar, they took their crafts on the road. It was a lot of work, she said.

She added she loves being a part of the crafting group that meets every week.

“It gives me something to do, keeps me active, keeps me young,” she said. “I was always involved in crafts. The camaraderie that you have here … we have a lunch and we solve the world’s problems.”

Proceeds from the event benefit Northwest Arkansas charities such as Sheep Dog Assistance, Samaritan Community Center, Bella Vista Courtesy Van, Society of St. Vincent’s de Paul, Northwest Arkansas Children’s and Women’s Shelter, Hannah’s House and Saving Grace.

The church is located at 1 St. Bernard Lane, Bella Vista.

(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Rachel Dickerson) The ladies of St. Bernard Women’s Club are shown with some of their crafts that will be at the holiday bazaar on Nov. 4.

Paula Fettig paints wisteria on a vase during crafting time at St. Bernard Parish Hall on Oct. 3. The ladies of the parish are preparing for the Nov. 4 holiday bazaar, which will include crafts, “trinkets and treasures,” baked items and a cafe.