Church Bazaar Ideas

Sandy Spring's Lady Roosevelt celebrates 95th birthday in grand style

On July 18, Ladelia “Deal” Becraft celebrated her 95th birthday with family and friends at the Sandy Spring Friends House, where she resides. Her entrance was marked by her arrival in a Ford Phaeton, as she impersonated Eleanor Roosevelt, along with Delmas Wood impersonating President Franklin Roosevelt.

Mrs. Becraft has played the role of Eleanor Roosevelt for the past 15 years and enjoyed her cruise through Olney as part of her birthday celebration.

She said she loves playing the former first lady.

As she arrived at the party, she saw 90-some people waiting for her, and the first person she saw had driven five hours to attend the party.

Mrs. Becraft has been an active member of the Sandy Spring community for many years. She moved to Sandy Spring as a bride in the early 1930s with her husband, Earl, who was a barber. She provided hair-cutting services to local residents during World War II while her husband was serving the country as a soldier in Europe.

When needed, she served as an assistant dietitian at Montgomery General Hospital. For over 40 years she was the dental assistant for Steven O. Beebe, DDS, a well-known local resident.

The hospital thrift shop has been a favorite place for Mrs. Becraft to volunteer for too many years to count and one can always find her selling furniture outdoors at the July hospital Picnic and Bazaar even to this day.

Additionally, Mrs. Becraft has been an active member of Ashton United Methodist Church for many years. Participation in the Women’s Society, serving as chair of many church ham and turkey dinners, sewing items for bazaars and underprivileged children are just a few of the activities in which she has participated at the church. You will see her sitting up front in her regular seat every Sunday unless she has gone to Florida, which as been the course of her life for many winters.

Be prepared to take a seat should you ask Mrs. Becraft about her family. She is proud as she can be of her three children: Earl, a CPA; Sandy, a teacher; and Eric, an architect/builder. The family also includes in-laws, 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

To be 95 is quite an accomplishment, especially with the spirit and enthusiasm of this “Lady Eleanor.” If you ever meet her you will definitely remember the lady who only one year ago had her eyebrows tattooed on and who wears sandals, a toe ring and an ankle bracelet.

Secret Santa Workshop: How to Host a Christmas Shopping Event ...

So you're having a Secret Santa workshop at your church bazaar, day care, school or other locale? Planning will be lots of fun, and the kids will enjoy their own special shopping spot. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Make up a one-page flyer advertising your event. Include the date, time and cost, which could range from $1-$5 per gift depending on the available items. Do a news release to your local papers so kids will know to attend the event if it's open to the public.

Cater the available gifts to the kids who will be visiting your Secret Santa Workshop. If all the kids will be very young, your workshop assistants could help choose items. Plan to have lots of small gifts for moms, dads, siblings, teachers and grandparents. Dollar stores are great for finding gifts, or have new items donated by your friends or the people in your church.

For moms, kids love to pick small boxed "'jewelry" items like Christmas pins; candles and chocolates are also favorites. For dads, books, mugs, tools and gloves are popular. Kids also like to choose Christmas ornaments or other decorations, small figurines, hand lotions, etc., and be sure to have "sibling items" from which they can choose: beanie babies with tags and other small toys are good for these.

Grown-ups should not be allowed in the room – the workshop workers (teens are great for this) should help the child choose gifts for the recipients of their choice. When parents bring a child to the Secret Santa room, they should be asked how many gifts the child will select and who the gifts might be for. Kids should have as much independence as possible in the process so that it makes them feel like they are really the ones giving the gift. Parents should give their child money and tell them how many gifts they may pick out. Kids should not be allowed to choose items for themselves; they're learning about giving to others.

Have an adjacent room ready for the wrapping room. Collect gift bags and tissue paper, wrapping paper, scissors, tape and gift tags. Again, teens are great for workers in the wrapping room – they can help the children select how the gifts will be wrapped and be sure the to/from tags are filled out.

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