This pretty scarecrow, pictured above, welcomes patrons to Shugar Creek Restaurant in Onsted along with others decorating the village for the Chamber of Commerce’s Scarecrow contest.
By John Hummer
Editor
Good things are happening in Onsted, and one organization that is putting the town’s best foot forward is the Onsted Chamber of Commerce.
Fresh off a very successful Scarecrow Contest that caught the spirit of fall and Halloween combined, the Chamber is now focused on presenting one of Onsted’s signature events every year, the Onsted Craft Show. Though the show took a hiatus in 2020 due to COVID, it is back and will be bigger than ever this year.
The craft show, which takes place on Saturday, Dec. 11, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., will be held at a new venue this year – The Mill Sports & Events Center in Onsted. The event was previously held at Onsted Elementary School. There will be a full house using the entire space of The Mill with 82 vendors and local artists, a live deejay, and food vendors (including baked goods). Among other things, visitors will once again be delighted to find hundreds of unique holiday gifts.
Sara Sollars, who taught in the Onsted Schools for 20 years, is now president of the Onsted Chamber of Commerce. Along with Chamber Events Coordinator Candy Robinson, Sollars has taken a lead role helping to coordinate the Onsted Craft Show. Originally the Chamber liaison from the Onsted Kiwanis Club, Sollars says the organization is going through a revitalization of sorts.
“[The Chamber] is for all people who are interested in promoting Onsted businesses and the community,” she noted. “We’ve been really clear with our applications that you do not have to own a business. You just have to be very concerned about Onsted businesses and wanting to volunteer and help.”
Sollars says their new outlook and strategies are working. “We’ve gotten people that we didn’t think we would get, and it’s helped us because it multiplies,” she stated. “Because we definitely need volunteers and workers.”
The Onsted Chamber of Commerce meets the second Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at Durkee-Seager American Legion Post 550 located at 333 Connor St. in Onsted. For more information about the Onsted Chamber, contact Sara Sollars at 517-260-1828, sarasollars517@comcast.net. For more information about the Onsted Craft Show, call Candy Robinson, Onsted Chamber events coordinator, at 517-260-7545.
