This is the 10th year FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) has organized the Panther Paw Craft Festival, and the outcome was a success. The craft festival was open from 9:30-2:30 to the public. There were 54 vendors this year, disregarding the FBLA’s bake sale booth. With 52 members in FBLA, you would expect some negative comments but I went around to 8 vendors to ask some questions about how the club treated them, and all 8 responses were positive! The staff was very active and helpful all day, whether it be helping people set up their booths, offering to grab them breakfast and/or lunch, checking if they need anything, or helping pack the booths up. Between the good turnout of vendors and shoppers, FBLA raised a fair amount of money for State and District and National competitions.

Along with the club, the vendors were very active and friendly. You could find at this craft festival a huge variety of items. Whether it be custom wooden signs, purses, crafts, wine jelly, wind chimes, pottery, wood carvings, food, clothes, or any of the many other crafts, there was something for everyone’s interests. There was one vendor that’s been attending the festival for 9 out of the 10 years! I asked a 8 vendors how many years they’ve been attending the craft festival, how it is compared to others they’ve done (if they have done others), How well FBLA took care of them, and how the experience was overall for them. These are their responses.

Colleen Breitenbach, Custom Wooden Signs: “This is my first year doing the Great Bend high school craft fair, and I don’t do other craft shows. FBLA is wonderful. I feel blessed to have all the helpers!My experience has been so good. Everyone is friendly and overall it’s been an easy process.”

Veronica Hoffman, Purses/Crafts: “I’ve been here each year for five years. This is the best craft show in Great Bend. FBLA is great. Love this show because the kids help so much. My overall experience has been good. A+, 10/10.”

Linda Skellenger, Uncorked Wine Jelly: “I’ve been here for two years, and I don’t do others.FBLA is awesome. My overall experience has been good. There’s a good crowd, environment, and the kids are very helpful.”

Connie Hensley, Original painted wine wind chimes: “I’ve been attending the craft fair for two years now, and this is one of the better ones. FBLA is great! I have more help here than anywhere else. My overall experience has been good. People love my chimes.”

Mark Freeman, Freeman Pottery: “We’ve been coming to the craft fair for three or four years, we go all around the country, and this is one of the better ones. FBLA is awesome. They always do really good. My overall experience has been good. The food is great.”

Nancy Miller, KK4U: “I’ve been coming to the craft fair for nine of the ten years, it compares the same.. but it’s smaller than it used to be.FBLA has always been wonderful helping me bring my things in and take my things back out. My overall experience has been really good. Lots of shoppers.”

Melson Wharton, Wood Carving: “I have been coming here for two years, and I don’t do craft shows. I do this one to support one of the local schools. FBLA is wonderful. My overall experience has been great.”

Carolyn Rosenberg, Blockhead Divas: “I’ve been attending for three years, I rate it 7 out of 10. FBLA is great. Always have been. My overall experience has been good.”