Postcards from the Fair

WSL's 46th annual Holiday Fair was a great success! Our sincerest thanks to all of the dedicated parents, students, faculty, and staff who organized and executed a wonderful event for the school and surrounding communities. We hope you enjoy these “postcards” from the fair…

There was a line down the hall for the always magical Angel Room, thanks to the early childhood parents and teachers who put so much effort into this quintessential fair activity.

Wow, was lunch delicious! Early birds were in line by 11:00 and kept the Café full all day long. Diners were welcomed and served by Regine Shemroske, Jeanette Voss, and smiling parents from the 2nd and 3rd grade classes.

The PCA Boutique was once again a marvel of organization, planning, and execution. The Boutique raised $6,500, representing over 35% of total fair revenue. Thank you to the 4th graders and their families for helping.

First grade parents rocked the bake sale table, decorating it with a cornucopia of woodland arrangements, colorful toadstools, and moss characters. Thank you to the whole community for loading it with delicious treats and savory dishes!

Many people have commented on the fantastic selection of vendors. About half the vendors were new to our fair, offering a fresh and diverse selection of items.

Nursery parents working in pairs energetically filled the role of Pocket Peddler, always a big draw for children.

Ralph Brooks entertained passers-by for the 27th year, juggling in a colorful new jester’s suit sewn by Kathy Aluia, handwork teacher.

Many tremendously talented students, parents, faculty, and alumni played music throughout the day.

The Craft Room, beautifully organized and run by the 5th graders and their families, gave fair-goers wonderful opportunities to create treasures for themselves and as gifts.

A number of alumni returned for the Alumni Luncheon to enjoy the holiday spirit and the company of old friends.

Friday night’s Jingle & Mingle party was enjoyed by alumni and alumni parents—always great to have you back!

The fair gave budding artists of all stripes the chance to sell their wares.

Candle dipping was a hit with young and old.

An intrepid crew of parking attendants deftly (and cheerfully!) handled a steady flow of traffic, happily with no mishaps.

The 6th students and the early childhood teachers put on fabulous performances that were packed to capacity at every showing.

The PCA Community Room offered a beautiful array of homemade crafts.

Other notes...

• This year for the first time there was no charge for admission. This appears to have been very well received. Attendance was up, and our donation basket raised over $1,400. The welcome table went through 450 programs!
• The unglamorous work of setup and cleanup was efficiently handled by a spirited group of 7th and 8th grade parents, students, and faculty.
• We can’t forget the essential oversight and coordination of myriad details by this year’s Holiday Fair committee, Catherine Steiner and Betsy Peck (who is also responsible for all of the outstanding fair photos).
• Net proceeds of over $17,800 exceeded our expectations and was about equal with last year’s total, even with free admission.
• Last but not least, we want to share the secrets to superior gluten-free brownies! Bethany Creath recommends all of Moon Rabbit’s gluten-free mixes. And Ann Wiedie uses the King Arthur Flour gluten-free brownie mix (studded with mint M&M’s, and favoring butter over oil). Happy baking!