St. Mary gets in the holiday spirit

St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church brought the Christmas spirit to Longboat Key a little early this year.

The church hosted its annual Christmas Bazaar on Nov. 19. The bazaar featured items ranging from homemade baked goods and Christmas trees to clothing and stuffed animals. All the money raised from the event goes to various local charities and Catholic schools.

About 50 members of the church’s Women’s Guild volunteered their time Saturday morning to work the event. The ladies began preparing for the bazaar in June. They met once a week to go through the donated items. A week before the event, they began organizing and pricing the items.

Throughout the months of preparation, the ladies formed some strong friendships. Carol Fischbein, an event organizer, said her favorite part of the bazaar was the women with whom she worked.

“We just have some really delightful women,” Fischbein said.

Dee Tornillo, who helped organize the bazaar, said the camaraderie of those involved is one of her favorite parts as well. Her other favorite part?

“Seeing all these people and putting a smile on their face,” she said.