Big Brothers Big Sisters craft sale returns to Sarnia this weekend

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This weekend’s 51st Big Brothers Big Sisters Show and Sale will offer more opportunities for attendees to fill their stomachs along with their Christmas gift lists.

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Additional food vendors will be among the 108 set up at Alexander Mackenzie secondary school on Michigan Avenue in Sarnia Saturday and Sunday at this year’s version of the successful annual fundraising craft sale, said Kaylen Burgess, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters Sarnia-Lambton.

“We do have a lot of new vendors this year and a lot of returning ones that everyone comes to see each year,” Burgess said.

Adding more food vendors was something attendees were asking for, she said.

The show and sale runs Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“Last year we had just under 4,000 through the door,” Burgess said.

This year’s goal is to raise $60,000 and “I’m pretty confident we can do that,” she said.

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Big Brothers Big Sisters provides mentorship for young people aged five to 18.

Admission is $10, free for kids 12 and under, and includes entry on both days.

Catherine Wilde and Fleck Law are back as the event’s sponsor for the eighth year, she said.

“We don’t receive any government funding so we rely heavily on events like this and sponsorship,” Burgess said. This year, the agency is looking to raise a total of $200,000.

“It’s a big number but we have such great community support. . . . I’m sure we can do it.”

Money raised will help the agency provide services for those on waiting lists for one to one and group programs in Lambton County, she said.

“I think everybody could use a little bit of extra support,” Burgess said. “We’ve got a lot of kids struggling and it seems like they’re coming in younger and younger these days. A lot of families are struggling with mental health, poverty, homelessness.”

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The agency served about 700 local youth last year and is expected to surpass that number this year, Burgess said.

Earlier this year, it launched a Christmas in July campaign to match 24 new one to one matches between youngsters on its waiting lists and adult mentors.

“We’re actually doing match 18 today,” Burgess said Wednesday. “Six more to go.”

Burgess said she’s confident of reaching the goal of 24 new matches by Christmas Eve.

There are 104 one to one matches and about 30 children are on a waiting list and taking part in Big Bunch programs while they wait to be matched.

“All the kids on the waiting list, they meet bi-weekly with volunteers,” Burgess said. “We get to know them better and offer some services.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters also runs school programs, she said.

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