Connie Osachoff has organized the inaugural Cactus Ridge Christmas Gift Fair. The event will take place on Saturday, Nov. 22 at the local seniors’ residence. More than a dozen local artists will be showcasing their artwork. Some of the proceeds will go to purchase playground equipment. (Keith Lacey photo)
Connie Osachoff loves organizing events and helping people.
The busy Osoyoos senior hopes a new event she has organized is going to become an annual fixture in our community for years to come.
Osachoff and her husband Ozzie moved into the Cactus Ridge Seniors Residence several months ago and love living there so much, she decided to organize a Christmas gift fair.
The inaugural Cactus Ridge Christmas Gift Fair will take place on Saturday, Nov. 22.
More than a dozen local artisans will be displaying and selling their artwork during the one-day event and will then donate proceeds from the sales to Osoyoos Elementary School to help pay for new playground equipment.
Some of the artists who have agreed to participate include Jane Sheffeld, Sharon Leonard, Donna Phelan, Annie Molenkamp, Sheila French, Frank and Julie Umberger, Dorothy Fairburn, Lee Whitehead, Bev Vorley and Angelica Bachynski.
“The response I’ve received from the local arts community has been unbelievable,” said Osachoff, who has helped organize numerous events at the Osoyoos Seniors Centre for the past several years. “This give sthe artists the opportunity to show their stuff and sell it and then they’ll donate some of their proceeds to help the local elementary school.
‘It’s a win-win scenario and hopefully we’ll be able to hold this Christmas craft fair every year to help worthy causes in the community.”
The gift show will take place from 9:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. on November 22.
Osachoff and some of her friends at Cactus Ridge will also be holding a bake sale during the event.
“We’ve made 60 dozen pizzelles (an Italian wafer) in the shape of snowflakes and they’re delicious,” she said smiling. “We hope to sell all 60 dozen at the show and all of the proceeds from these sales will also go to the elementary school to help pay for new playground equipment.”
Tracy Harfman, the manager at Cactus Ridge, has shown tremendous support and helped organize the first-time event, said Osachoff.
Some of the artwork that will be on display includes numerous styles of paintings, sculpture, pottery, dollhouses and costume jewelry, she said.
Everyone from the community is invited to participate and she’s hoping for very good response to the gift fair, especially with Christmas not that far away, said Osachoff.
Osachoff admits she was a bit nervous about approaching local artists to organize this event, but those concerns quickly went away when she visited the Osoyoos Art Gallery and Market on Main over the past several weeks and met up with local artists to discuss her idea.
“The support from the local artists has simply been amazing,” she said. “They have been very receptive and they’re all looking forward to being a part of this Christmas gift fair.”
Osachoff says the quality of art that will be on display will be very impressive.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
