Hingham holds special holiday shopping

Hingham had a special Christmas shopping day over the weekend, Hingham Holiday Shopping in the old Hingham High School gymnasium Saturday, and saw more than 50 people at the event.

Event organizer Cole Horinek of Havre said he grew up in Hingham and knows, as a vendor himself, it is important that the community has alternative shopping options for the holidays.

He added that he does not charge the vendors at his events.

"They're small business owners," he said.

Horinek said the event had 10 vendors and he was happy with the turnout.  

Horinek also organizes other craft shows in the Hill and Blaine county area.

"Anywhere I can find," Horinek said, adding that he is always looking for different charity events to get involved with.

He said next year he plans to partner with Havre Food Bank and Havre Animal Shelter.

This was the first year Horinek has done a craft show in Hingham and he said he plans on doing more in the future.

"As long as there are people interested, we'll keep doing it," he said.

He said that, for the holidays, it is important that people have options for their holiday shopping. People don't realize that there are some amazing things they can find in their own communities, with local vendors providing things that people can't find anywhere else, Horinek said.

Horinek said he spoke with the Hingham Economic Development Association, which maintains the old Hingham High School, to organize the event.

Association President Jason Myers said the group has been working in the community since the late 1980s and the non-profitt's goal is to keep a place for the community. The association's main goal is to keep the high school open, he said, adding that the building is used for many different community events such as birthdays, funerals and family reunions.

Local children's books author Amanda Hansen was at the event selling copies of her two books as well as holding a raffle to help support the local animal shelter.

She said she has been holding raffles at all of the events she attends to help raise money for animal shelters. Hansen said she got the idea after seeing commercials on television about animal shelters.

"I thought, 'We need something like that here,'" Hansen said.

She added that Hansen Family Campground is also sponsoring the raffle. All the money raised by the raffle goes toward different animal shelters, such as Havre Animal Shelter. At the end of the craft shows a name is drawn and the winner gets a variety of dog toys, treats and a copy of one of Hansen's books.

"I'm so blessed," Hansen said, adding that she is more confident about her writing and is very glad to have all the people in her life supporting her.

"It's not about money, it's the passion," she added.

She said she is very glad for these craft shows and they are beneficial to a community.

Pam Moxley said she enjoys going to craft shows, adding that she had done a lot of her holiday shopping at the event.

"I love them all," she said.

"People doing their own thing, it's relaxing," Moxley said. She added that if a craft show is held in the future she is sure to come.

"It's important, especially after losing so many of those big department stores and shopping opportunities that people have a way to shop local," Moxley said.

T.J. and Danielle Munyan said they were having a good time shopping at the event.

Danielle Munyan said that they are vendors themselves, with the business Sno Cap Designs, making jewelry.

She added that events like the craft show are good for a community, bringing people together and supporting small business owners.

They said they would come back next year.

Vanessa Conner, a vendor for Wildtree, said she has been a vendor for a year-and-a-half, adding that in addition to Wildtree products she also knits items that are for sale.

She said she met Horinek at another craft show he organized in Havre.

Conner said craft shows are important to a community because it gives people something to do.

People can shop for handmade stuff that can't be bought anywhere else, she added.

"They should have them all year round," she said, adding that some of her customers, when they see her, buy her products in bulk because they don't see her all the time.

Loyce Barcus, a vendor for Tastefully Simple, said she got into being a vendor after her hours were cut at her job and she needed something that could make up the difference.

"Buying from these vendors helps community members," she said.

She added that Christmas is a good time of year for people to get out and explore their communities, looking for gifts and shopping locally.