Creative skills, enterprise put to use at fourth annual FFA craft fair

Using time efficiently and keeping organized.

Dacota Lotspeich said those were the skills she had to learn in order to manage this year’s FFA craft fair.

The event, which featured about 30 vendors, was held in the new gym on Saturday morning.

The junior started working on the project back in September.

“I had to keep the craft fair stuff separate from the vendor part of it. The vendors all have their own rules they need to follow to keep it organized and safe. For the craft fair, there was organizing the food and all the student volunteers and then promoting the fair through social media.”

Lotspeich said the most difficult part of the job was having to turn down vendors once the gym reached capacity. There was also a bit of a “technical difficulty” with making coffee at the start of the fair, but her team got through that one.

But from her spot in the FFA booth, just inside the gym entrance, she enjoyed observing the results of her efforts.

“I like being here and seeing everybody and talking to them.”

Scents, sweets and sweatshirts… breadboards, water bottles and blankets…jewelry, metalwork and towels…tons of holiday décor. The craft fair, the fourth annual at CHS, had an assortment of goods to choose from, and sales were brisk.

A Christmas bonus for attendees, Erik Hermanson’s Holiday Jazz gave its first performance of the year. In the commons, the concession stand was open, and there were activities for kids.

Money raised at the craft fair will fund FFA trips and contests.

Above: Dacota Lotspeich (left) and Kayla Hoffman in the FFA booth.

Raising funds for an FFA trip to Italy in 2026, freshman Valentina Rohlfing and eighth graders Nolan Schlaak and Harper Rutz were selling baked goods and raffling gift baskets. Purchasing cookies is Bob Hahn.

The FFA table had T-shirts, raffle tickets, kits to make a “Buddy” elf and wooden flower stands made by the shop class. In the booth are FFA members Samantha Baker and Kayla Hoffmann and FFA advisors Madisyn Schuster and Jordan Kuehl.

Seventh grader Evan Hoffmann was selling “Wobbles,” crocheted figures and key chains, each taking him an hour to make. “It’s kind of like knitting, but it is just one needle,” he said. Hoffmann sold his entire inventory by the end of the craft fair.

This booth had pretty much every major holiday covered.

The “kid” in kids so soft company, operated by Gary and Becky Michels, refers to a less-than-one-year-old goat. They make their soap, which they said is loaded with vitamins and smells nice too, with goats’ milk.

Several vendors had items specific for their Cleveland clientele. What is it? A unit to store and dispense can coolers.

Tiffany Hagen of Cleveland offered clothing in her booth. Her company is called Flannel Tees. She said sales were going well.

The High School Art Club’s stand had student-made goods, including watercolor cards, wood slice paintings, keychains and buttons. In the booth are Jayden Anderson, Blake Gibbs, art teacher Bre Roberts, Levi Murphy and Kendra Zimmerman.

Fifth grader Karleigh Duffey looked at keychains and earrings in this booth.

Out in the commons, seventh grade Brennon Holicky helped second grader Logann Meyer mix up a recipe of reindeer food.

Eighth grader Evie Remiger checks out a booth that specialized in fabric containers to keep food warm.

Former CHS librarian Virginia Grabow visits the booth of Pam Gersemehl (CHS 1976). With Gersemehl is her daughter Lindsey. In their booth were Christmas decorations.

Sharon Cink of Sharon Cink Country Originals paints her ornaments and artwork while she watches sports on TV. She is the mother of social studies teacher Dave Cink and the grandmother of senior Allison Cink.

Eighth grader Amelia Baker and her mom, kindergarten teacher Tonja Baker, shop in a booth that specialized in pendants and chains.

Erik Hermanson’s Holiday Jazz band put on a festive concert during the craft fair. Its trumpet section consisted of Jackson Bowen, Mylie Dylla, August Keltgen and Caleb Connor.