FHCSC Annual Holiday Bazaar brings Christmas market to FH

By Gabrielle KuholskiNovember 22, 2013

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1 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – From left, Pfc. Zachary Wikel, Pvt. Jonathan Miller and Pfc. Samuel Gabel, Company A, 2-13th Aviation Regiment, assist Holiday Bazaar vendor Joyce Geerlings-Griffith with setting up her booth Nov. 15, which carried goods from the Huachuca Arts Associ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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2 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Dave Sierzchula sets up his booth to sell his handmade steel wall art, lamps and other handmade metal décor Nov. 15 at Barnes Field House. Sierzchula's business, Trendsetters, was represented at the Holiday Bazaar in Barnes Field House Saturda... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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3 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Dave Sierzchula sets up his booth to sell his handmade steel wall art, lamps and other handmade metal décor Nov. 15 at Barnes Field House. Sierzchula's business, Trendsetters, was represented at the Holiday Bazaar in Barnes Field House Saturda... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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4 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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5 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Holiday Bazaar vendor Edward Grondin of Ed's Custom Creations brings his Saint Bernard Bella to help him sell his custom wood products. From left, Pamela Kuntz and her daughters Katherine, 11, and Grace, 7, give Bella lots of attention by rubbing her... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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6 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – From left, Sandy Berg, Sierra Vista resident, visits the booth of 1st Sgt. Eric Potvin, Company C, 305th Military Intelligence Battalion (pictured), and his wife Kristine Wolfe. Potvin and Wolfe are launching their new business, Hoppin' Grapes, a loc... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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7 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Gracia and husband Ken Akin, foreground, try samples of dips provided by vendor Brenda Whittaker at the Holiday Bazaar Saturday and Sunday at Barnes Field House. Whittaker sells dips made by Chili Pepper Outpost in addition to homemade truffles prepa... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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8 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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9 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Spc. Kraig Martin, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, and son Kaiden, 18 months, smell coffee samples at Three Canyons Roasters' booth at the Holiday Bazaar. The coffee online company, based out of Hereford, b... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Shoppers received a head-start to holiday season shopping Saturday and Sunday at the 5th annual Fort Huachuca Community Spouses Club, or FHCSC, Holiday Bazaar held inside Barnes Field House. This year, 96 vendors filled the facility's gym with handmade items, artwork, clothing and jewelry and featured home-based businesses.

According to Donna Dean, FHCSC co-chair of the Holiday Bazaar, vendors come from as far as Phoenix to participate in the shopping event. This year the bazaar saw more new vendors than ever before. This was a juried show in which judges picked and chose among the businesses or individuals who would sell their goods.

"There are so many vendors; a juried event allowed some people to get in that have never been able to before," Dean said.

Sasha Griffin, FHCSC president, added that the juried system brought in the "best of the best" vendors.

The bazaar is a FHCSC fundraiser. Each business or individual pays a booth fee. The proceeds are used for the FHCSC's scholarship fund. This year the Holiday Bazaar raised $14,000.

Griffin said the event this year was well-attended. Over two days, an estimated 1,000 shoppers came through Barnes Field House.

The Holiday Bazaar is one of two big fundraising events of FHCSC during the holiday season. FHCSC will team up again with the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Dec. 15 for the Historical Tour of Homes.