By Lisa Carolin
Audrey Heldt has volunteered at the Chelsea Spring Expo for most of its ten years. She was assisting at this year’s bake sale and contributed her own pumpkin bread.
“The bake sale does pretty well,” she said, standing over a huge variety of cookies, cakes, breads and more.
The Chelsea Senior Center organizes the expo, and members of the center were scattered throughout the event.
“We have 145 vendors this year,” said volunteer Rod Payne.
Among the vendors were businesses that sponsor the event, as well as nonprofits, crafters, school groups, and other local representatives.
Mary Williams and husband Gerard own Williams Crafts.
This is our first year selling at the expo,” said Mary Williams. “We have spring arrangements including flowers and golfing, baskets and bird houses.”
Covering many of the walls at the venue was artwork from the Art Extravaganza, hundreds of works by students in the Chelsea school district.
Volunteer Joan Driscoll was busy keeping youngsters entertained in the KidZone with sand art, crafts and face painting, with help from Girl Scouts.
“The expo gets bigger and better every year,” said Driscoll.
“We have 2,000 visitors every year,” said Trinh Pifer, executive director of the Chelsea Senior Center. “Our goal is to engage the community.”
Based on the number of people flocking to the Washington Street Education Center soon after the expo opened, Pifer’s goal was achieved.
