Tis the season to be shopping for friends and family! And, there was no shortage of homemade crafts, cuisines, and other holiday items at the Niobrara County Christmas Bazaar on Friday and Saturday. Sponsored by the Niobrara County Homemakers, this annual holiday event allows sundry vendors to display and sell their wares at the local Fairgrounds. According to Homemakers Secretary and Chairwoman of the Bazaar Donna Hanson, the event began in 1986 and, with the exception of the dark years of the pandemic, has grown ever since. On average, the Bazaar draws between 60 and 70 vendors every holiday season. Hanson stated that Lusk has always enthusiastically embraced this beloved Christmas tradition.   

“The response is very good,” Hanson said. “We have the community’s support. “

This support is hard-earned. According to Homemakers Treasurer Claudia Swanson, a lot of work goes into organizing and conducting the event. Chief among those who donate their sweat equity is Hanson, whose responsibilities include cementing the participation of the various merchants populating the Bazaar.

“Donna does a lot,” Swanson said. “She starts sending out the applications in September and they start coming back in October. “ 

Hanson stated that the Bazaar is the Homemakers’ biggest fundraiser. The revenue generated by the event financial underpins several of the organization’s yearly causes.

“The money goes toward a variety of things,” Hanson said.

Among the many Homemaker activities that the Bazaar revenue finances is the distribution of Grief Bears to bereaved community members. Other activities include a scholarship luncheon and a jewelry project for grade levels preschool to third grade. In addition to these activities, the Homemakers have made multiple donations to the community. These have included contributions to the library, the school breakfast program, awards for 4-H kids, and EMTs.

“It’s kind of varied every year,” said Swanson.  “The money goes to anything in the community that we want to help.”

This year’s holiday affair saw some newcomers. Among them was Beth Hessler, the founder of Middle of Nowhere Customs. Based out of Harrison, the Hessler operation boasts some impressive work in custom laser engraving. For hassler, the Bazaar represented her fledgling enterprise as a business.

“I’m just trying to get it up and running,” Hessler said. “I have a laser engraver. So, I do wood, tumblers, coffee cups, water bottles (stainless steel mostly), patches on hats. I’ve started doing dog tags.”

Hessler’s work with laser engraving began when her husband, Matt, purchased the equipment as a combination birthday-Christmas gift.

Matt said, “Hey, she said she was interested in it. So, I bought it!”

Hessler immediately put the laser engraver to use, fashioning some unique gifts for her wedding.

“I wanted to do something special for all of my bridesmaids,” Hessler said. “I wanted to do water bottles for them. I had seen a thing where you could do a cricut and then strip the paint off the water bottles. But, with the laser engraver, we decided that there was a whole lot more that I could do than a cricut.”

Middle of Nowhere Customs can be visited online at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552696331021. Hessler can be reached via email at beth@middleofnowherecustoms.com.

Another freshman merchant created a literal buzz at this year’s Bazaar. Kim Hatter (a.k.a., the Honey Lady) was one of several vendors selling the sweet contents of beehives to holiday shoppers. Hatter offered containers of honey in varying sizes. For Hatter, bees aren’t just a business. They’re also a life-sustaining affinity.

“I love bees,” Hatter said, “If we didn’t have them, then we wouldn’t have us.”

Hatter stated that the customer had been overwhelmingly positive. In fact, all of Hatter’s 5 lb. containers were sold out during the first evening of the Bazaar. 

“It’s been phenomenal,” Hatter said. “I have had so much interest in the honey and about the bees.”

And, the buzz is only growing louder. Hatter’s honey supplier, Bob Bryant of Lingle, initially began with three semi-trucks of bees. Now, he is loading up 21 semi-trucks with bees, which are taken to California during cold seasons to pollinate almond groves.  When warm weather returns, so does Bryant’s bees. Like Kim, Bryant is passionate about his bees.

Hatter said, “He [Bryant] tells me, ‘Kim this is a labor of love. It’s not a big moneymaker.’ He’s the neatest guy I’ve ever talked to. I learn so much from him.”

According Hatter, her business is a joint endeavor with her mother, Ann Marie. Marie also runs Mama’s Krafty Korner, an operation devoted to the fashioning and selling of various crafts. Both ladies are from Torrington, but that doesn’t mean they don’t feel at home in Lusk.

“I love the atmosphere here at Lusk,” Hatter said. “People are so friendly.”

Hatter can be contacted via phone at 307-340-1973. Her mother’s business, Mama’s Krafty Korner,  can be visited on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/mamaskraftykorner.

Rounding out this collection of freshman vendors was Michelle Kremer, whose presence at this year’s Bazaar was more motivated by a personal  passion than by monetary gain.  Kremer was selling products in support of W.A.R. (Women At Risk) International, a nonprofit organization devoted to the formation of protective circles around at-risk women and children through various intervention projects. The products sold by Kremer were a made by people rescued from human trafficking.

“I sold their products for a couple of days at my church and I decided I would like to do that on a bigger level at the Christmas Bazaar,” Kremer said.

Kremer was inspired to take up the cause after watching the film The Sound of Freedom, starring Jim Caviezel. The movie is a dramatized version of Operation Railroad, an anti-sex trafficking operation spearheaded by Tim Ballard. Kremer stated that the film struck a responsive chord with her.    

“I watched The Sound of Freedom and it just broke my heart, “I wanted to do something about it. So, I started doing some research. Actually, a friend of mine works for W.A.R. International, but I didn’t really know that much about it. So, I said, ‘Hey, do I understand that you work for somebody that does this?’ She was like, ‘Yeah!’ And, that got me connected to them.”

Kremer’s passion concerning this cause is intensified by the fact that she has three adopted Latvian sons who were at risk of being enslaved by traffickers. According to Kremer, had she not adopted the boys, there was an 80 percent chance that they would have been ensnared by the predatory interests of this exploitative industry. Those who wish to know more at W.A.R. International can do so by visiting https://warinternational.org/.

This year’s Christmas Bazaar marked the second for Patti Miller, Edie Wilson, and Kathy McConaughey. This trio specializes in handmade crafts, ranging from crochet to traditionally sewn items.

“It’s kind of a family thing, “ Miller said. “It’s something we can do together. We get together and craft and make a little money on the side. We try to keep things reasonably priced because we do it partially for fun.”

According to Miller, the overall customer response has been positive. 

“It’s been really nice,” Miller said. “People enjoy it and we’ve got some side orders.”

While Miller, Wilson, and McConaughney are unified in their passion for handmade crafts, they are somewhat divided concerning a single name for their business.

“We all have our own names for it,” Miller said.

Yet, this minor point of departure certainly does not diminish the quality of the trio’s work.

“We’re all kind of perfectionists,” Miller said. “My husband will look at what I am making and say, ‘That’s a $500 purse you made.’  I’m selling them for $25. So, folks are getting a bargain.”  

The Cloverleaf 4-H Club sold lunch, which consisted of a spaghetti bake, chili, and chicken noodle soup.

 Hanson said, “We’re very community-minded and we just put on this for people to market the things they have to sell.” 

In regards to the Homemakers, Swanson said, “It’s a fun organization and we’d like to see as many people join us as possible.”

Those who wish to learn more about the Niobrara County Homemakers can visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/niobraracountyhomemakers