Oak Trace Seniors Craft, Sell Homemade Gifts During Annual Holiday Happenings

For the past year, residents of Oak Trace senior living community in Downers Grove have been working hard to bring holiday cheer to the community.

And during the annual Holiday Happenings event, set from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, they will get to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

The public is invited to shop the homemade gifts made by the residents, including items such as jewelry, needlework, baked goods, art, and more.

“The seniors have been looking forward to Saturday all year,” said Laura Witt, director of life enrichment at Oak Trace. “They really love the event and that they are able to help with it. They’ve all been working on their crafts and goods to sell on Saturday, and many of them actually work the booths.”

Crafts range in price from $1 to $50. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Oak Trace is also serving a traditional, all-you-can-eat Swedish buffet for $8, complete with spiral ham, potato sausage and pickled herring.

Oak Trace resident Lillian Petrovich has helped organize and sell jewelry at the event since moving to the senior living community in 2006. She most enjoys all the donated jewelry from her fellow residents, and sells about $400 in jewelry each year, making her booth one of the most successful.

“Like Lillian Petrovich, the residents really take pride in their community and this fundraising event really gives them the opportunity to show that off,” Witt said.

All proceeds from the craft sales are donated to the Lifespace Foundation, which funds various Oak Trace events and programming, as well as residents in need.

Oak Trace is located at 200 Village Drive, Downers Grove.