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Shane Bowling, Krista Burden, and Sean Taylor.
to a local community cause chosen by the market board. Last year, vendor fees set up booths with their homemade and homegrown goods and produce for sale with the Bristow Artisans and Gardeners Market. Vendors pay a fee to participate in the market with the goals of selling their goods, plants, and produce to locals, nourishing the community through each interaction.
For those unaware, vendor fees collected each year get donated Each year from spring through summer, local vendors See Donation, Page Three were donated to Bristow Area Social Services in support of their Christmas endeavor of purchasing gifts for families in need. The market has also previously participated in drives for the distribution of school supplies to schoolchildren. This year, Sean Taylor of the market stated they chose an especially pertinent recipient for their charitable donation: Bristow Public Schools’ Nutrition Program.
On November 17, Taylor and Shane Bowling, both with the market, presented Krista Burden of Bristow Public Schools, BPS, with a $500 check to help pay student nutritional account arrears. For the 2022-2023 school year, Bristow reportedly served 1,661 students. Of those students, Burden noted that “Our district has a high economically disadvantaged rate with 68% of our students qualifying for free and reduced lunches, yet last year the district was left with over $5,000 in overdue lunch accounts.”
Taylor explained that because the market feeds the community each year from May through September, they could not imagine a more apropos way to donate the funds than to gift them to “the most important school supply of all: food for students.” Furthermore, the market partnered with local businesses The Wild Jennys and Grooming by Ann on South Chestnut Street to enhance the donation. The Wild Jennys also serves as a market affiliate store throughout the growing season, carrying select market goods and produce throughout the week on non-market days.
With local businesses partnering with the market or making additional donations to BPS’ nutrition program, more students will receive nourishing foods and be able to focus on learning without the fear of overdue accounts weighing down them and their families. Therefore, Taylor excitedly conveyed the market’s challenge to all businesses to join their efforts and help feed Bristow’s students by donating to the nutrition program and eliminating student lunch account arrears. He said “We’re hoping, as a community, to help fill the deficit in the nutrition program. Together, we can all make a difference. Donate today and feed a child.”
On behalf of BPS and the nutrition program, Burden expressed gratitude to the market, partnering businesses, and other donors, saying “We have had various donors over the years that have made donations to assist us with paying off overdue accounts. We greatly appreciate the generosity of those that are going above and beyond to make sure that Bristow students are taken care of. Thank you.”
Anyone or any business desiring to make a donation to the nutrition program may donate directly to BPS by calling 918-367-5555 or may reach out to the Bristow Artisans and Gardeners Market via email at bristowmarket@gmail.com or their Facebook page of the same name.
Finally, be sure to catch the market at the Bristow Christmas Parade tonight!