Junior Auxiliary of Hammond “Jolly Jingles Market” vendors 2016 alumna Sarah Elliott and junior family and consumer sciences major Alison Carroll from Edge Boutique give a shopper her purchased items. Jennifer Dettwiller/The Lion’s Roar

The Junior Auxiliary of Hammond hosted their third annual “Jolly Jingles Market” this past weekend to get people into the holiday spirit.

The market was set up in the Pennington Student Activity Center on Nov. 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pre-sale tickets were $3 and tickets purchased at the door were $5.

President of JA of Hammond and a counselor at the University Counseling Center Annette Newton-Baldwin discussed the process it takes to put on events such as the market.

“We have a committee, and we start planning six months ahead,” said Newton-Baldwin. “We try and recruit quality vendors that sell a variety of things that will really entice our shoppers. We also try and make an event that is very comfortable for our vendors to participate in. Obviously, we have to do that to attract good vendors, and we do a lot of promoting around Hammond, actually around the whole Northshore.”

The market included recognition for Junior Auxiliary Man and Woman of the Year and entertainment for the shoppers throughout the day.

“This morning we presented the Junior Auxiliary Man and Woman of the Year, Robin Abrams and Mayor Pete Panepinto, and then we have Community Music School playing,” said Newton-Baldwin. “We’ll also have Hammond Eastside Elementary Magnet. They will be singing Christmas songs, and then after that, we will have the Hammond Ballet Nutcracker doing an actual dance performance.

Newton-Baldwin explained how many people usually participate in this kind of event.

“We typically have about 80 vendors and 2,000 shoppers,” said Newton-Baldwin. 

Edge Boutique Vendor and 2016 Alumna Sarah Elliott talked about the process to get the Edge Boutique booth a part of the market.

“I came here last year as a customer, and I know one of the ladies that is involved in the Junior Auxiliary,” said Elliott. “So I reached out to her to see what all it would take for us to get here, and then I went online, filled out the applications, corresponded with the people involved and decided to come.” 

Newton-Baldwin explained where the proceeds from the market went.

“The Junior Auxiliary of Hammond hosts this every year,” said Newton-Baldwin. “We are a nonprofit, so this is how we raise our money to run the nonprofit. So, it goes towards operating expenses, and it goes towards whatever projects that we do for community enhancements and kids for the next year.”