Artistic Crafts Help Fund SBHS Project Graduation

South Brunswick High School's Project Graduation turned to a familiar source for its latest fundraiser with its sixth-annual Craft Show, which brings creative and artistic minds together to sell their wares to the community.  

The Craft Show was held Nov. 27 at SBHS and featured approximately 80 vendors.

"This is an event that caters to the crafters and gives them an outlet to show their artistic ability and that's what brings people in," said Project Graduation Co-Chair Deborah Katcher.  "All of the designs are so creative and that's what people want to see."

Approximately 500 people from throughout the community attended the event, which helped to raise about $5,000 for Project Graduation.  

"All proceeds support our 2011 Project Graduation event, providing a safe, supervised, substance-free graduation night celebration to all our graduating seniors," said Project Graduation Treasurer Christine Mariano via email.  "The event is sponsored in part by the South Brunswick Municipal Alliance through a grant from the Governor's Council Against Drug Abuse and the South Brunswick Board of Education."

Project Graduation started in South Brunswick in 1992, but began over 30 years ago in Oxford Hills, Maine, after there were seven alcohol and other drug related deaths of teens in the graduation season of 1979.

"This is an event that brings the community together to raise money for a good cause," Ms. Katcher said.  "The Craft Show is reoccurring and always falls on the weekend after Thanksgiving.   It gives people a chance to buy some unique crafts that they wouldn't find in stores."

The show featured holiday reefs that were designed by the vendors, as well as unique jewelry designs, hand-crafted birdhouses, homemade candles and custom hand-cut glass lamps to offer attendees a wide variety of artistic designs.

"There were so many unique and creative options at the show," Ms. Katcher said.  "You find things here that you can't find anyplace else."

Project Graduation will be held this year on Wednesday, June 22, starting at 10 p.m. and ending at 5:30 a.m. at the Funplex in Mt. Laurel.  To donate to Project Graduation and help provide a safe graduation night e-mail sbhsprojectgraduation@gmail.com.