S.A.F.E. volunteer Andrew Knipfer poses with his son as they display various pieces of art completed by the nonprofit’s members during the Luzerne-Wyoming Counties Mental Health & Developmental Services Inclusive Art & Craft Fair on Saturday.
Marcella Kester | For Times Leader
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Patrons were able to shop various vendors during the the third annual Artistic Expressions: An Inclusive Art & Craft Fair on Saturday morning at the Friedman JCC in Kingston. The event is sponsored by Luzerne-Wyoming Counties Mental Health & Developmental Services.
Marcella Kester | For Times Leader
Patrons were able to grab a bite and a drink with the help of Coffee Inclusive employees, from left, Christina Wesley, Ellie Bartoli and Nicole Tugend, during the Inclusive Art & Craft Fair held Saturday at the Friedman JCC.
Marcella Kester | For Times Leader
10-year-old Christian Ochs, right, looks on while his mother, Jennifer, speaks to a customer during the Inclusive Art & Craft Fair at the Friedman JCC Saturday. ‘Christian’s Crayons’ has homemade crayons of various shapes, colors and sizes to sell as fundraisers for various local groups and nonprofits supporting developmental and intellectual disabilities as well as autism.
Marcella Kester | For Times Leader
KINGSTON — Sitting next to his mother, 10 year-old Christian Ochs of Conyngham watched on as a customer rifled through various bins of his colorful crayons.
Ochs and his family spent their Saturday morning selling “Christian’s Crayons” at the Artistic Expressions: Inclusive Art and Craft Fair inside the Friedman Jewish Community Center in Kingston.
The third annual event, sponsored by Luzerne-Wyoming Counties Mental Health and Developmental Services, highlights artists and groups while celebrating Developmental Disabilities Awareness month.
“Christian has autism, so we started this doing a fundraiser for S.A.F.E.,” his mom, Jennifer, explained. “With this, Christian learns life skills like using the oven, and we just hope to promote an inclusive community.”
Christian and his family sell the homemade crayons as fundraisers for various groups. Currently, proceeds benefit Parenting Autism United. While his parents assist with unwrapping crayons, Christian aids by breaking them apart and placing in various molds before going in the oven to finalize his new, colorful creations.
Over 17 vendors participated in the fair this year, according to Amy Tomkoski, Luzerne-Wyoming Counties Mental Health and Developmental Services deputy administrator.
The group offers support services to individuals who live on their own as well as residential services, day and work programs.
Various community artists and groups showcased their works throughout the event, including painting, jewelry, ceramics and more. Attendees were able to grab a coffee and a bite to eat through Pittston-based Coffee Inclusive, a branch of NEPA Inclusive, that offers employment to the intellectually or developmentally disabled as well as those on the spectrum.
“We wanted to do an art show so they could sell their pieces and be in the community — and since the month is about inclusion, we wanted to add community artists so we have everybody and just to raise awareness,” Tomkoski added.
On the opposite end of the room, S.A.F.E. (Supporting Autism and Families Everywhere) volunteer Andrew Knipfer and his son were busy showing off a variety of canvas works and colored prints from their members.
He said holding events like this is valuable because it allows local groups and nonprofits to showcase not only what each provides to their communities, but also what individual members of the groups can do. Aside from art programs, S.A.F.E. provides music and swimming lessons as well as a family summer camp.
Knipfer added that many of the groups participating in the event collaborate with each other on a regular bases for the overall betterment of the community it serves.
“We all work together for this common cause of taking care of the families and the people with autism,” he explained. “It’s not about what one group does and another one doesn’t, it’s what all the groups are doing for the autistic community. And that’s really what’s important.”