Providence Elementary School, 137 Truce Road, New Providence, will hold a craft fair on Saturday, Nov. 5, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Multiple vendors will sell handmade items at the event, and food and baked goods will be sold by the school's parent teacher organization PTO.

The craft fair will feature only local crafters and artisans, who will sell items such as jewelry, candles, crocheted accessories, men's apparel, honey and artwork and decor made from reclaimed wood.

The craft fair will be hosted by Providence Elementary PTO, which will make and sell baked goods such as brownies, cake pops, cookies and banana bread.

This will be the first year that Providence Elementary PTO has held a craft fair to serve as its main autumn fundraising event; in the past, the organization held a yearly auction and sold gift baskets to raise money for the school. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the PTO was unable to find enough donations to continue the auction. "We figured that we would try something fresh and new," said Lora Bledsoe, president of Providence Elementary PTO.

The money raised from the event will benefit multiple PTO undertakings and help fund the organization's many projects and enrichment activities for students. "One thing people don't realize is that the PTO funds things like field trips, new playgrounds, teachers' agendas and different types of events," said Bledsoe. "Kids don't get field trips unless the funds are there. (Providence Elementary PTO) is involved with a lot of things." Two years ago, the organization utilized its funds to add a new playground for the children at Providence Elementary and hosted a harvest party event that included games and activities.

Bledsoe, who is from Arizona, moved to the Southern End last year and started volunteering with Providence Elementary PTO after her kids began attending the school. "It's been a great way to connect with the kids and meet other families and parents," said Bledsoe. "There's a very close community here."

At the end of the 2021-22 school year, the PTO held an event on the last day of school full of games and activities for kids and set up stations throughout the school. Bledsoe spent the day making snow cones for students at her station, something that she said allowed her to get to know many of the people in the community (many of whom have since bestowed upon her the nickname of "Snow Cone Lady").