Yule Mart opens Friday

by Paula M. Fitzgerald
Paraglide

The holiday season is right around the corner, and Lori Johnston said she knows just the place to get Soldiers and Families in a yuletide mood.

This year’s Yule Mart, which is a community-event sponsored by the Fort Bragg Officers Spouses Club, runs Friday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, from noon to 5 p.m. The event will be held at Ritz-Epps Sports Complex and cost of admission will be $3 per person or $5 per person for a weekend pass.

The OSC has two functions, according to Gina Glenn, the club’s president. First, the OSC provides support to the Fort Bragg and Fayetteville communities through charitable donations and scholarships. Second, the club provides the spouses of military officers the opportunity to learn, volunteer and meet new people.

“We have two main fundraising events each year. This is where most of our contributions come from,” Glenn explained. “All the proceeds we receive go right back to the community through scholarships and welfare grants.”

One of these fundraisers is Yule Mart.

“We are really excited,” said Johnston, the OSC Yule Mart chairperson, “There will be over 70 vendors this year from Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and even as far as Ohio.”

Johnston and the other members of the OSC take their community outreach mission seriously. In fact, last year, the group distributed $15,000 to several local organizations through its Welfare Fund. Additionally, nearly $18,000 was given to individuals through scholarships.

Johnston hopes Yule Mart will be more successful this year than ever.

“We are holding Yule Mart at Ritz-Epps this year, so we have a lot more space for vendors,” she explained. “Hopefully, the OSC will have a lot more money to give out to those in the community who really need it.”

With the selection of items Yule Mart will have to offer, Johnston believes the event will prove to be a success.

Vendors will have homemade and handcrafted items ranging from jewelry and doll clothes to fishing lures and dog beds. Food vendors will also be available.

“There will be a little bit of everything for everybody,” Johnston added.

The kids can expect to benefit from a trip to Yule Mart, as well.

Santa’s Secret Shop will be open throughout the weekend and will provide children ages 3 to 10 the opportunity to shop, with the help of an “elf,” for gifts ranging from $1 to $8. All gifts will be wrapped free of charge by volunteers from the 82nd Airborne Division Family Readiness Group.
“I would encourage all families to come out and enjoy the weekend. There will be great vendors, food and a wonderful, safe place where your kids can shop for you. Given that many of us are currently dealing with a deployment, we made sure that Santa’s Secret Shop would have deployment friendly gifts that can easily be mailed to a mom or dad who is overseas. With all the deployments, the holidays can be hard but I guarantee this event will put you in the holiday spirit,” said Kim Eubank, Santa’s Secret Shop chairperson.