by Khoo Yue En Keziah
A budding author, Keziah explores and draws from the vast world of books and knowledge. She hopes to write well-crafted pieces that bring more truth, goodness, and beauty to the world.
“For those of you who are still here…” Auntie Dawn, one of Little U’s founders and Children’s Craft Fair (CCF) 2024 organisers, announced to a medium-sized group, some clustered around a wooden table having just finished counting money while others were scattered throughout the large hall, playing or chit-chatting, “…the Children’s Craft Fair 2024 has raised a total of $4,533.651… the highest amount we’ve ever raised!”
Exuberant clapping echoed throughout the room.
My heart swelled with pride at the opportunity to contribute to such a total and raise money for the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore (CPAS), this year’s beneficiary. I thought back on all the events leading up to this memorable moment.
Preparations abounded for the past seventeen weeks. I had made a plethora of handicrafts, from calligraphed cards to crocheted Rose Bowls, from a surprise pack to a hand-sewn drawstring pouch. For the past four months, I crafted with zest.
The day arrived after much waiting. Mama, our booth leader, put spare change into a biscuit tin, which she put into her bulging bag. The coins clinked and clanged against the smooth, hard metal, making an audible noise whenever she walked. I found that amusing, for my mother is quiet by nature. We boarded a bus to the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), the CCF 2024 venue sponsor.
We arrived. I quickly took a Japanese print-style fabric out of my bulging bag and spread it onto our half of the table. I laid my crocheted and calligraphed barang barang2 onto three trays. My booth mates Evelyn, Cody and Jonah (my younger brother) also laid their colourful and creative items onto the fabric-covered table. Due to both our excitement and quick hands, we arranged everything neatly in fifteen minutes.
I paraded through the bustling hall with a sign reminding people that all proceeds go to CPAS. I wanted everyone to remember why we were selling our handicrafts. So I nudged a vivacious smile onto my face and inserted a spring into my steps.
As I walked, I looked around, amazed by the variety of items sold- from jewellery, keychains and beaded charms to hand-woven hangings, cards and paper jets, from felt pencil rolls to wooden catapults; the variety was surprising and wonderful.
I glanced at my watch. 1.55. Five more minutes.
Ms Carol Tan, vice-president of NAFA, went up to the front. She gave a short address before announcing, “The Children’s Craft Fair 2024 is officially open!” Finally, after months of preparation, the fair was in full swing!
I hurriedly filled a large grey tray with items to sell and started roaming the hall for customers. After asking a few people to buy our items, I got a sale! It was my first sale – perhaps the most memorable – for it spurred me on to approach more people boldly.
After some time had passed and I had made more sales, Jonah pointed out to me that my coasters were a popular item. So I loaded more coasters onto my tray and went on a new round of “mobile-boothing” – a term that I used to refer to our strategy of marketing our items by going beyond our booth and approaching potential customers in the crowd. I enjoyed the thrill of marketing, bargaining, and selling my coasters, crocheted trinkets, and more.
“There are thirty minutes to the end of the craft fair!” Auntie Dawn announced. How time had flown! I quickened my pace, determined to sell more.
Soon after, I heard fellow vendors calling out reduced prices for their wares. As prices dropped, I decided that it was a good time to take a break from the exciting but tiring work of “mobile-boothing” and buy handicrafts for myself.
“Fifteen minutes!” Auntie Dawn took the stage again.
“A mere fifteen minutes to sell my items. To sell,” as Auntie Dawn had encouraged, “everything.” I thought to myself.
So, I set out with a full tray with renewed resolve. This time, I chose semi-hidden items that potential customers might have overlooked.
“Five more minutes!” came another call.
The craft fair was ending so soon! A surge of adrenaline pulsed through my body. I briskly walked from person to person, urging them to buy my items; however, most had purchased many items and could not be persuaded to buy any more.
“This is the end of the Children’s Craft Fair 2024!” Auntie Dawn announced jubilantly. “Thank you for coming, and thank you to all the crafters…”
So it was the end. The visitors left while the crafters and organisers remained. The booth leaders and organisers began money-counting while the crafters began clearing up.
Once the adrenaline had gone down, I realised how tired my legs, body, and mind were. I had not noticed it until then because of all the excitement. While I swept all my leftover items and trays into my sturdy tote bag, I wondered what the final collection amount would be. I had hoped we would raise at least one thousand dollars, and it was a far-off dream to raise two thousand.
Mama began counting the money from our booth’s money box; our total amounted to $119.10. I thought about how we, just one booth, had raised that much, and I was excited to hear the total and the sum of our hard work for CPAS.
I peeked at the paper Auntie Felicia used to sum up the booths’ collections, seeing that the money raised by each booth ranged from $34 to $519. Little did I realise that the total amount would exceed my wildest expectations.
“…$4,533.65!” the digits echoed in my head.
We had raised a significant amount for Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore. I remember leaving the hall with the other crafters—everyone tired but proud. We had crafted, sold, and persevered. That was priceless.
Read the official report of the Children’s Craft Fair 2024
- The amount stated is that of the initial counting; it does not take into account other factors such as the fees paid to an external vendor for venue set-up and Tote Board’s dollar-for-dollar matching. The final amount raised was $8489.90.
↩︎ - Barang barang is a Malay term used in Singlish meaning “personal belongings”. I heard it used at the craft fair to describe the heavy bags and trolleys crafters (and their parents) lugged. ↩︎