Piggy Bank Bazaar

Hello Everyone,

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“What is Piggy Bank Bazaar?” you may ask. I’ve been asked to explain, so here goes.  Piggy Bank Bazaar was created by Mrs. Barbara Neveel, schoolteacher, mother of 4, wife to Rev. Jim Neveel, Pastor at New Hackensack Reformed Church in 1975.  The crafts fair was designed for children to have a safe and friendly place to do their Christmas Shopping for their family and friends. Gifts were handmade and priced within their budget (of no more than $1.50 per gift). The first bazaar was in 1975. During covid we did not hold a 2020 bazaar. The top price in 1975 was $1.50 and the price increased to $3.00 in 1989.

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In preparation for this annual one-day event, held on the first Saturday of December, there is a great amount of time, effort, and coordination that goes on behind the scenes.

Since NHRC is a community church, the bazaar is open to all. Hundreds of children come to shop with gift list and money in tow, greeted by guides to help them complete their list. The bazaar also brings 100 plus adult volunteers, church members & community alike, to participate in the bazaar each year. To make this a smooth and memorable event they sign up for a task or two and enjoy this wonderful opportunity to be a part of the magic.

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Once a year the Education Center gets transformed into one HUGE Christmas Shop. The rooms are divided into gift areas for children, women, men, pets, personalized, Christmas décor, and photography. There is a gift-wrapping room, cashiering area, and refreshments are available.

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The 50th Annual Piggy Bank Bazaar is to be held on Saturday, December 5th, 2026, from 9am to Noon.

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The Wednesday Morning Workshop is a warm, sunny, friendly, happy part of the day that gives us volunteers purpose as we create gifts for the Children’s Crafts Fair all year long. Come join us. We put together many different types of skill level kits for you to choose from, whether it be cut & paste, sand & paint, sew & stuff, arrange & assemble, we have it all. The workshop meets from February to June, and then September to December in the Education Center, in rooms, 13 & 15, from 9:30am to 11:30am. The workshop will meet 3 times this month, June 3rd, 10th, and 17th, before taking a break for the summer and resuming back here in September.

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There are a few volunteers who knit, sew, create kits, and complete kits over the summer at home for us. If you think you would like a crafty kit to do, send an email to Carol Ray (jimcarolray@verizon.net).

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Also, now is a good time to look around your home, the stores, or online for crafty ideas or donation items to make neat gifts. We work on 100 different crafty ideas each year. Who knows, you may find a few of the items we need for our Crafting Cupboard.

 

That being said, here are a few of them we need:

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Silk flowers & leaves, floral moss & foam, basket grass, small vases or containers, pliers & wire cutters, craft paints, small pointed brushes, tacky glue, hot glue sticks, sheet music, scrapbook paper (Christmas season colors), dowel sticks, new nails and screws, embroidery hoops, macramé cord, fleece fabric, felt, small jewelry boxes with lids, glass stones, paperclips, thimbles,  button magnets, ribbon, polyester fiberfill, Christmas decorations, pompoms, jingle bells, rhinestones, jewelry beads, clasps, crimp beads, wire, jump rings, and charms. Donations of small gifts are greatly appreciated. We sell them along with crafty ones.  All donations can be dropped off in room 15.

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A Piggy Bank Bazaar Thank You for all those supporting our creativity with your donations.

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The lazy, hazy days of summer are here, where time seems to stand still, at least for a little while. Enjoy the great outdoors and savor the sights, sounds, and scents that can only be experienced at this time of year.

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Have a Happy 4th of July! And Happy 250th America!!!

Cindy Corish, for the Wednesday Morning Workshop