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Vendor show starts busy weekend for Rugby FCCLA

By Sue Sitter - | Apr 22, 2023

Sue Sitter/PCT Rugby High School FCCLA members Haley Solem, left, and Beth Schmaltz collect admission for a vendor show the chapter sponsored to raise funds for competitions.

Rugby High School’s Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) chapter kicked off a busy weekend with a vendor show featuring items from 30 area businesses April 15.

Held at the Rugby Armory, the show attracted a steady stream of customers who browsed through items ranging from jewelry to baked goods.

“We have everything from direct sales like Norwex (household products), Origami Owl (jewelry and accessories) and things like that, to homemade crafts and creations,” Rugby FCCLA Advisor Brittany Lovcik said.

“I was really worried about the date, because this is the same day as a vendor show in Minot, but we’re getting a good turnout,” she added.

“Our FCCLA chapter is raising money for state (competition), and then, if we ever have students go to nationals again like last year, we can have some money set aside for that,” she added.

Chapter members who had entered state competitions left for Bismarck the next day. The North Dakota FCCLA State Leadership Conference would host chapters from all over the state competing in a variety of community-related events.

“We have 10 competitors, and for every five you have to bring a judge or a timer, so we have 10 competing, two judging or timing events, two voting delegates and we have a student running for state office,” Lovcik said.

Haley Solem, a junior at RHS, and Beth Schmaltz, a Rugby eighth grader, sat at a table near the armory entrance, collecting $2 from each visitor to the show.

“I think it’s pretty fun,” Solem said of being an FCCLA member. “It’s a good way to get out and help out with the community.”

“I like being able to volunteer places like this,” Schmaltz said. “I like being able to raise money for our chapter.”

“I’m doing a chapter service portfolio,” Solem said. “We did a Dairy Queen Blizzard drive where we had to deliver Blizzards around the community, so I had to make a portfolio about our experience.”

Schmaltz said the middle schoolers in the chapter “did the same as theirs, but we did a trifold board (display) on it.”

Inside the armory gym, tables and booths from a variety of sellers and groups drew a crowd of visitors.

Rugby High School teacher Suzanne Weiler, middle school teacher Dan Seykora and several FCCLA members sold sloppy joes and other lunch items for shoppers.

The group sold the food to raise funds for a fifth and sixth grade track meet to be held May 10.

“We’ve had a steady number of people here,” Weiler said.

Family members of Rugby High School speech team members sold baked goods at another table. Most team members were in Harvey that day competing at regionals.

Rugby resident Jill Roberts and her daughter, Evelyn sold whimsical crocheted animals at another table.

Evelyn, a seventh grader, said she wasn’t an FCCLA member, “But I’m here to support.”

“I took FACS (family and consumer science) classes from Mrs. Lovcik, but now I’m in ag,” she said.

Chloe Sobolik and Don Jelsing stood before a display promoting the Pierce County Fair. “We have a drawing for some of our events,” Sobolik said. “And Drive Chevrolet is sponsoring the band Drive,” she added, referring to a performance by the musical group from Fargo on the main stage July 8.

“They’re also offering a free oil change for people who attend the concert that night, and they’re promoting (their oil change services) today,” she added.

“We also have pages for our coloring contest, and then, we have our information for open class (displays) so people can get started on that,” she added.

“The biggest thing for us is getting volunteers for the fair,” Sobolik said.