The craft show event held at the Panama Methodist Church last Saturday also included carriage rides through the village, the ability for kids to send letters to Santa along with raffles and craft vendors. Each year all proceeds go towards a specific cause, with this year’s money being donated to the Panama Methodist Church food pantry. Over $300 was raised for the food pantry from vendors who purchased table space, and a table was also set up in the front of the church, accepting non-parishable items for donation to the food pantry as well.

“The money will be spent on home goods and personal care items,” Village Trustee Kim Davis said. “We have 28 tables of vendors, letters for Santa and people can buy blue lights with money from that going towards the school’s care closet.”

A table was set at the entry of the event selling the blue light bulbs, with the intent of money from the selling to be donated towards the school’s care closet, and at a later day the village will be asking all who bought a lightbulb to turn them on at a specific night and time and they will travel the village and donate a certain amount to the care closet based on the amount of houses lit up as well.

Village Treasurer Larissa Enlow noted some of the other activities that went on during Saturday’s event.

“There’s a lot going on,” Enlow said. “The village is offering a complimentary hot cocoa bar free of charge. We are accepting donations towards a mission trip to Thailand, and we are selling the blue lights to help us light up Panama.”

Some of the vendors selling items at the event also expressed their appreciation for the event, adding that it keeps them coming back for it each year. One vendor, Sally Pandel, said this year was her third year doing it.

“It’s a nice place,” Pandel said. “There’s good parking, and a lot of people come. I’m not from here so I get to meet new people and new clientele each year. The community all comes together and the kids get to see Santa and there’s carriage rides and lunch, and all kinds of things.”

Another vendor at the event, Amy Marrs, said she likes to return each year because she enjoys selling the items that she makes and that she really likes to craft.

“It’s also fun to come out and purchase from other people,” Marrs said. “I enjoy socializing with customers and other crafters. Usually it supports a good cause as well, and this year they are supporting the food pantry. It keeps us crafting and using our hands.”