Friends of Strong held their 10th annual Holiday Market featuring 27 different vendors on Friday Nov. 22. The Medical Center’s Flaum Atrium was transformed into a cute and festive holiday market hall stocked with goods ranging from spiced nuts to bourbon to handmade jewelry.
In order to be a part of the market, each vendor paid a booth fee that went to support Strong Memorial Hospital. The donations and booth fees raised at the Holiday Market contributed to gifts that Friends of Strong provide — nursing education scholarships, layettes, safe newborn swaddles, palliative care program support, transplant patient fund, wheelchairs for patients and visitors, and other life saving services and equipment.
Forget Me Knots Roc is a handmade crochet booth run by Stacy Friedman featuring crochet turtles, hanging crochet jellyfish, and more. Friedman is a pharmacist at Strong Memorial Hospital and a second-year vendor.
“It is nice to see my coworkers come through and have them see all my stuff,” Friedman said. “There’s a lot of good local vendors, and it’s also a fundraiser for Friends of Strong.”
Oshi Ghee, a stand that sells authentic Bengali ghee by Aashna Ahmed, is a first-timer at Friends of Strong Holiday Market. Ahmed sells various flavors such as plain, maple, and garlic. Ahmed participated in the summer’s farmers market and plans on attending more holiday markets in Brooklyn.
“We are Rochester-based and a woman of color-owned business,” Ahmed said. “And, yeah, just shop small, support local, it’s the best thing you can do for holiday shopping right now.”
Other first-time holiday market vendors included Flint’s Maple run by Chad Flint, a fourth-generation syrup producer and culinary teacher, and Tail Wagging Treats, run by Becky Brock Munson. Flint sells a variety of products — mustards, sauces, drinks, maple products,and more — all made in-house in Warsaw, New York. Munson began her business a year and a half ago, selling healthy homemade dog treats that are baked to increase the crunchiness.
“I know that dogs are at home all by themselves, and the hospital staff is working and stuff,” Munson said. “It’s always nice to be able to take a little treat home to them, so they feel extra loved when they come home.”
Karen Herczeg and Kelly Volonino, employees at Strong Memorial Hospital, left the Holiday Market with a purchase of a pair of handmade Buffalo Bills earrings, and artisan vinegar and olive oil.
“It’s a fun event, and it lets us find unique and sort of special little gifts.” Herczeg said. “It starts to get you in the mood for the holidays.”
