A “doggie fashion show,” a talk on radon awareness, a demonstration on how to turn tree branches into pens, and ideas for low maintenance landscaping — along with a wide variety of vendors and delicious food — it’s all part of the second annual Ellsworth Kiwanis Club Home and Garden Show from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 23, at the Ellsworth American Legion building.
“We are very excited,” said Ellsworth Kiwanis Club member Anita Hoffhines. “The vendors are excited and our Kiwanis members are excited. Our whole purpose is to raise money to give back to community youth projects that benefit children.”
Last year’s Home and Garden Show raised more than $4,000. Hoffhines estimates about 350 people attended.
“That’s a good event any day in Ellsworth,” she said.
This year’s show features 26 vendors in the legion’s main hall, dining room and outside in the parking lot. They are Carrico Implement (with an inside booth and also an outside display), Nex-Tech Wireless, the Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter, Watkins Products, World Pest Control, H&R Block, Reliant Roofing, First Bank Kansas, A Better Window and Door Company, C&V Home Improvement, Ideal Real Estate, Tri-City Guttering, Befria Insurance, Citizens State Bank, Boomeroos, Home Lumber and Supply, Woodbridge Home Exteriors, Cabinet Connection, Millwood Realty, Colter Dent Construction, Advanced Satellites, Steve Steinhaus, Ellsworth County Crime Stoppers, Southard Corporation, and Kyler and Son.
“We listened to our vendors,” Hoffhines said. “They wanted bigger booths. So in order to give them bigger booths, we have fewer booths this year because we only have so much square footage.”
The schedule of Home and Garden Show demonstrations on the stage as of presstime is as follows:
• 10 a.m. — Turning backyard branches into pens by Gary Urbanek of Ellsworth.
• 11 a.m. — Cabinet Connection.
• 11:30 a.m. — Low maintenance landscaping by Brent Goss, Ellsworth County Extension agent.
• Noon — Plant selection by Brent Goss of Ellsworth.
• 1 p.m. — Radon Awareness by Jamie Rathbun, K-State Research and Extension.
1:30 p.m. — Boomeroos Doggie Fashion Show by Barbara McPherson of Ellsworth.
The entry fee for the Home and Garden Show is $1 for persons 12 years old and older. Children younger than 12 years old will be admitted free of charge.
A variety of food will be offered for sale by the Ellsworth American Legion and Auxiliary, including hamburgers, hot dogs, homemade pie and cinnamon rolls. Vendors will be giving away prizes, and the Kiwanis will have a drawing for a bicycle.
For more information, call Anita Hoffines, (785) 531-0160, or Cee Heller, (785) 531-0594. And pick up a copy of the March 21 I-R for a special section on the Home and Garden Show.