The 26th Annual Crusader Craft Sale is done and dusted....almost! This blog will conclude this fun-filled family event.. Co-organizers, Mrs. Loughran and Mrs. Bjorkman would like to say thank you to everyone who helped out with the event - big events like this take a tremendous amount of teamwork and both staff and students really did a great job.

First, thanks to the Crusaders, Mr. Randall and Mr. Younghans for bringing extra tables from the A. G. Ross Arena and Elk Point Elementary School (Thanks, too, to both for loaning us tables), then setting up and, finally, hauling them all back!

Mrs. Richer and her crew of volunteers (Kaedyn Bourne, Cole Pierce, Stephanie Jacula, Cheyenne Newby, Dakota Young and James Baker) had the Crazy Crusader Critter Zoo open for most of the event and there were many visitors to Room 1 (Thanks Mrs. Oracheski for letting the critters invade your space.)

Mr. Braga and Mrs. Berlinguette were busy in the Holiday Gift Shop on both Friday and Saturday. Special thanks to both of them for helping our young shoppers buy gifts for the special people in their lives. Thanks to Mrs. Bjorkman, Mr. Thornton, Mrs. Berlinguette, Mr. Braga, Chloe Cardinal and Rhianna Bjorkman for setting up and taking down the shop and to the EA's who did without their space for the week prior to the craft show. Mr. Braga will be using the profit of $151.40 to purchase items for the mathematics department.

Thanks to Mrs. McAnally and her crew for feeding us delicious hot food and treats throughout the day. There were many compliments on her specials and the vendors really appreciated the two free coffee!

Ho Ho Whole lot of thank-yous to Mr. & Mrs. Hoyle for their portrayal of Santa and Mrs. Claus! It was great to have you there for all our little visitors. Thanks to our costume donations from Peggy Smereka, Mrs. Capjack and Mrs. Cribbins. Donations were added to the table donations.

We couldn't have Santa without his arch-nemesis, the one and only Grinch, who was brought to life by Joshua Ashoalu, Elisha Sears and Zxayven Pelech who all did a great job behind the mask!

The Scholastic Book Fair in our Learning Commons was a busy place for the week following the fair. Special thanks to Mrs. Elaine Bjorkman and Mrs. Ryleigh Forbister for being great hostesses on Saturday and to Mrs. Loughran who helped set up the fair. Although sales were down from last year, we were able to make a profit of $832.20 which will be used to purchase more reading material for our Learning Commons. Congratulations to Jordan van der Hoeck who won the $25 in free books. The other $25 was made into a gift basket for the Extravaganza/Shop Local week.

Special thanks to The Elk Point Theatre Group who performed a few numbers from the upcoming musical. It was a great performance and we can't wait to see the EPE and FGM students involved sing and dance in the Spring in their new production "Into the Woods"! Check out a small clip from the upcoming show!

We saved one of the best thank yous for last, our exhibitors! Thank you for helping to make our 26th Annual Crusader Craft Sale a huge success! It was festive, it was fun, and we can't wait for next year! Thanks to the following for coming out and joining us: Lisa Nielsen, Iuliia Prudius, Billie Milholland and John Tilton, Madame Nadine, Hailey Bykowsky, Laurie Beloin, Debbie Gulayec, Amber Manchel, Melissa Rybchinsky, Rose Vinge, Carla Ganske, Brenda Maas, Pauline Arychuk, Kali Cousins, Bobbie-Jo Kirby-Graham, Cindy Johnson, The Knights of Columbus, Samantha McKenzie, Stefania Jarzabek, Patricia Pigeon, Therese Siemers, Chris Schneider, Micah Urquhart, Zoey Inscho, Margie Urquhart, Erica Ockerman, Lorraine Statler, Danielle Evans, Gaylene Herle, Shelley Comfort, Gloria Ng, Stephen Lind, Amanda Ellis, the Class of 2020, St. Paul Abilities Network, Julie Zawadoski, Bryan Curle, Albin Leaf, and Susan McKinnon. ALL proceeds from the rental of tables goes back into programming in our classrooms and items that aide in student learning.

Finally, ranking in the top, thanks to the community of Elk Point and surrounding area for coming out on both Friday and Saturday (and throughout the following week to the book fair) and supporting our school and exhibitors - without you we could not continue to hold this event in our school. Three cheers to you and we wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!