Hello and welcome 2010! Before I tell you about the new crafters group, let me give you some background. I'm Bonnie Booth and live in Buckhead Ridge, FL., an extremely small community outside of a medium sized rural town named Okeechobee. Buckhead Ridge (BHR) is at the northwestern tip of Lake Okeechobee. The majority of our residents are people who have migrated here from the coast or northern suburbia who want a life style that is comparatively slow, safe, quiet and secure from the hubbub of larger cities. Approximately six months a year we have northern friends who live here in their winter homes. Retirement is the key word here, which includes fun, friends and relaxation. It also means downsizing from those big homes and storage that we had in our younger days. We just don't have as much space to work on all of our hobbies.

Well, welcome to the Buckhead Ridge Crafters group! There are many talented people in our area who handcraft some amazing things. The only thing missing is a venue for letting others in and out of the community know about them. Most of us, are members of the only two social non-profit organizations on the ridge ( a one-mile highway frontage). If you aren't a member, chances are not many people except your personal circle know about your talents and creations.
We just never had a place large enough for crafters to get together to explore the world of crafting. Now we do. and you can reach more people and learn from a vastly larger circle of peers.

On December 12, 2009 we held our first every craft fair in Buckhead Ridge. As part of a fundraising event for the W.O.T.M. (Women of the Moose) Chapter 2036, 14 participants displayed their creations. Some from as far away as Lake Placid, FL. Through advertising and word of mouth we had a continuous day of "visitors" checking out our beauties. Volunteers cooked a breakfast that diners are still talking about and paid an average of $3.00 to eat in our Crafters Cafe. A reporter from the Glades County Democrat attended and took pictures, reporting in a small blurb the following Thursday. It was such a success that we are looking forward to our next craft fair on March 20, 2010.


The officers of the Buckhead Ridge Moose Lodge (2417), all of whom were present at the craft fair, were approached with a proposal asking for permission to hold craft group gatherings on the lodge premises twice a month. And they said YES!!!! Finally a place to get together. Thank you officers. The only prerequisite is that after two visits a person MUST become a member of either the Moose or the Women of the Moose. This small annual membership fee will protect the lodge for insurance purposes AND because it is a private organization there are state and federal laws that must be adhered to - which means you must be a member to participate or purchase items in the social quarters. As a member, Moose International organization rules override all activities. For more information you can contact me at 863-357-1556 or BuckheadBooths@embarqmail.com.

My next post will outline our first gatherings. Happy Crafting