The First Annual Holiday Market will be offering an assortment of goods for holiday shopping Saturday, Nov. 14 from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. inside the Monarch Estates Retirement Community.
The event is open to the public and free to attend.
Amanda Baker, enrichment coordinator, said the Monarch Estates Retirement Community is having the Holiday Market for several reasons.
“We have 115 residents in the building, and many of them do not have their own vehicles, and so although we offer a bus service, it’s still sometimes not conducive for them to get out and have a selection of holiday gifts for their families,” Baker said. “So, my first priority as an enrichment coordinator is to provide for them an opportunity to find gifts or unique things that they can purchase for the holidays.”
Baker said she hopes the Market will also raise awareness in the area for the retirement community.
“Anytime we can bring new people in the door it benefits the company, but it also benefits the residents,” Baker said. “They love new people, and they love it when people come visit, so it’s a way of keeping them in touch with the outside world also.”
Snacks will be provided, and music will be played to create a holiday atmosphere.
“I hope when people walk in the door they get a sense of that cheer and happiness that the holiday offers to people,” Baker said.
Shirley Olsen, who leads the marketing department, said there will be different types of vendors at the Market including private vendors, company representative vendors and homemade art vendors.
“The homemade crafts will be holiday and Auburn themed,” Olsen said. “Auburn is a big seller here.”
Baker said there are still available spots for vendors, and the Market will accept vendors until Friday night, Nov. 13.
Mary Ellen Glynn, a resident of the Monarch Estates Retirement Community, said she is looking forward to the market.
“I plan on attending because personally I don’t like to shop in the mall, and this is coming right here to me, and it’s going to be unique things that we can buy that I can’t find in a mall, so a lot of homemade things,” Glynn said. “Hopefully, I’m going to do my Christmas shopping, and I’ll get it all done, and I can breathe a sigh of relief.”
Baker said she hopes to continue the Holiday Market in the future.
“This is our first holiday one, and if this goes well next year my hope is that it will be bigger, and a good place for the community to start with their holiday shopping,” Baker said.
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