Holiday Fayre sees big numbers

The Women’s International Niwot Club (WINC) held the seventh-annual Holiday Fayre at the Left Hand Grange earlier this month.

According to WINC president Deborah Fowler, 541 people stopped by the Fayre and contributed to the record bake sale for the event that raised $1,400.

Santa and Mrs. Claus stopped by, and gift certificates were handed out from local merchants.

“We were trying to make it a community event by promoting local businesses as well,” Fowler said.

WINC had given out bags and maps of local businesses in the past, but more Niwot Business Association members joined in this year and helped make the event bigger than before.

“We reached out to see if local businesses wanted to contribute,” Fowler said. “Most of the stores were represented by people from Niwot and Longmont.”

The total amount raised from the Fayre was $2,200, which goes to WINC’s fund to be distributed to local charities each year.

Fowler said that WINC membership is now at 65, and doubled from last year. A total of 16 nationalities are represented in the club.

Members make recommendations for charities to donate to on Colorado Gives Day, and this year WINC was able to hand out $5,000 — doubled from last year. Those who received donations included CASA Voices for Children and Access Opportunity at $1,000 each, and Children First of the Rockies and Attention Homes at $750.

Other charities that WINC donated to this year included Community Foodshare, There With Care, Boulder Bridge House, Mountain States Children’s Home, Boulder Symphony, the Firehouse, Longmont Humane Society, OUR Center and Inn Between.

“The idea behind it is to pull in and support local businesses and charities,” Fowler said. “It was an amazing event that got everyone into the holiday spirit.”

The date for next year’s event is Dec. 8, 2018 and any interested vendors can contact Fowler at 720-378-1217 or [email protected].