Irving Community Vendors 2014 report to Irving Grange

Market Board of Directors, elected January 2014:   Peggy Jillson, Pat Heard, Raydean Henderson

This year the Irving Community Vendors club held six events at Irving Grange:  March crafter swap meet, May-June-July-August summer outdoor markets, and the Holiday Market in November. This was our third year of operation.

Annual dues are $20, plus booth and table fees for each event. This year we have 42 members, about half of whom joined for the Holiday Market. For members who join before the end of September, dues include their first market space.

Much of our income goes to advertising, $742.47 this year. The liability insurance for our vendors, which the main reason the club was created, and registration with the Oregon Corporations Division is about $300 per year. We have a kitchen concession at the Holiday Market which makes a small profit, but also replenishes many of the Grange’s pantry needs. Our direct financial contribution to Irving Grange is $399.50 for 2014. We also paid $62.85 for annual servicing on the fire extinguishers in the building so they would be up to snuff for the Holiday Market, and have donated $100 to Pay It Forward. We spent about $50 on sound system upgrade parts so we can play background music in the whole building during indoor events.

We feel the Holiday Market is an unqualified success and want to do it again next year on the weekend before Thanksgiving. The crafters’ swap meet in March has been somewhat successful and may be worth doing again. The summer markets are not working well at all. However, we understand that the EEVAC/Boy Scout pancake breakfast event is scheduled for August 22, 2015, and that the club suggested making booth space available for auto-related merchandise. This could provide the backbone for a specialized market event. A couple of groups are set up to rent the Grange premises for market/festival events next year as well.

Irving Grange has made our market possible. With third Saturdays no longer routinely available for our use and the need to rethink our summer activities anyway, the market will face a challenge at our annual meeting in January 2015.

Irving Community Vendors is serving the community. The Irving Grange Facebook pages and website benefit from the exposure and experience gained from the markets. We hope the contacts and relationships we are building bring new members to the Grange and enhance its reputation. We would respectfully request that we be allowed to reserve November 20 and 21, 2015, for our Holiday market and that we be permitted to hold our annual meeting sometime in January, using the Grange without rental charge, but with the continuing understanding that the Market will pay the Grange at least $5 per booth or table per market day. We will come to you again after our annual meeting to request additional dates as we have plans for them. We hope you agree that we deserve your continued support.

Peggy Jillson, market manager