SALISBURY— Father & Son Produce Market on Sherrill’s Ford Road was buzzing with activity on Nov. 16 as, not only its customers were coming and going, but the Jingle n’ Mingle Holiday Craft Show was drawing quite a few visitors.

And it wasn’t just an event with merchants selling their crafts and collectibles and other goods, but it was an event where the vendors were giving back to benefit a cause, cystic fibrosis.

“This was our third year,” said Brenda Zimmerman, who served as co-organizer of the craft show with Carla Kluttz, both of whom had tables at the show.

Through the years, they and other volunteers have been teaming up to help donate to research for cystic fibrosis with proceeds from these crafts shows plus estate and yard sales with Helen Brown, going to the cause. Helen and her husband Ralph Brown have two grandchildren who have cystic fibrosis.

Zimmerman noted that the Browns are from the community, she having worked for Dr. Busby for approximately 50 years, and he was a school principal and administrator.

She said they have a team of cystic fibrosis volunteers, around 20 or 30. “This involves a handful of those folks,” Zimmerman said of the holiday craft show participants, “but when we get into our estate sales and everything, we pull out all the stops and everybody works those.” 

Jennifer Totten, who has been a volunteer for the cystic fibrosis yard sales for 20 years, was at the craft show, volunteering at the raffle table.

She said Helen would have these yard sales and she went to one with a friend one time, after which she was asked to return and work one Saturday. That turned into going back every Saturday and then Friday and Saturday and then three days a week to volunteer.

The yard sales were massive, Totten said, and were held at the Brown’s home until the size and some health issues forced them to be moved to their church.

“The yard sales grew exponentially,” Totten said. 

The yard sales are currently not held, but they continue to have estate sales, she said. Another estate sale is anticipated in the spring, Zimmerman added.

Over the years they have held the yard and estate sales, Zimmerman said, “the funds that we’ve collected from that, we’ve donated about $380,000, that’s all research.”

At the craft show, “the vendors all do some kind of basket or door prize out of their own product,” she said, pointing out a table with different baskets from all the vendors. “Whatever vendors want to donate” for the raffle, with all these proceeds going to cystic fibrosis.

In addition to the vendors, there were others from the community who were not vendors, but they wanted to contribute, including Tim and Linda Hoffner, owners of Father & Son; Linda Holshouser, who Zimmerman said “is a good friend of cystic fibrosis” and brought three baskets; and Creative Gourmet Catering’s Matt Trexler, who donated a dinner as a gift.

Another table was set up with items that Totten said Helen Brown had gotten in and wanted sold for the cause as well.

A new addition to the event was the food trucks, Zimmerman said. “This is the first time having food out here, so we are very excited about that.” 

There were commercial vendors and crafters on hand at the show, and Zimmerman credited Kluttz with helping bring in the vendors.

One of those vendors was Poppy-Kathryn Dews of Salisbury with her original miniature, something she has been doing for three years.

Because of her husband’s health problems, which have changed their lives, she began making these miniatures out of polymer clay and resin. She said it was difficult and messy to work with, but she keeps at it, and “it makes me happy.”

She makes a variety of miniature items including furniture and food, shadow boxes and little babies, which she said she has given many away to nurses and delivery drivers. “They are so cute, so I started giving them away. I love them,” she said. 

As for what brought her to the show, Dews said, “I really like Brenda, and she asked if I would do it, and I thought to myself, it may be fun.”

Linda Hoffner said they wanted to help out Kluttz, who is their daughter and does events like this as well as help the small business owners. 

“That’s what we are, that’s what they are,” she said. “We’ve got to help each other out.” 

And she added that cystic fibrosis is a good cause, and she had attended some of the benefits for the cause with Mrs. Brown.

Zimmerman said the market had been super supportive and there had been a good turnout. She expressed appreciation for everyone that participated in the event.

The craft show is held annually, and they anticipate doing it again some time next November, she said. Those interested in participating next year are encouraged to contact her either by emailing her at brendaz280@gmail.com or texting her at 704-798-2313.