Holi-Due Bazaar in Ladue Was a Raging Success

It was no small affair on the Ladue Middle School campus as a large number of shoppers browsed the wares of 47 vendors at the first-ever Holi-Due Bazaar presented by the Ladue Education Foundation.

In just four short weeks of planning, Diane Patershuk and team transformed the Middle School foyer and cafeteria into a holiday shopping extravaganza. A variety of goods were offered for purchase including hand-made jewelry, collectibles, unique art and pottery by local artists, home décor, fashions, tasty treats and many holiday gift items.

Coffee, muffins and danishes were offered for purchase from in Ladue.

“It was a very successful event. We will definitely do it again next year. The vendors were great. I think everyone made money,” said Patershuk. She said the turnout was much better than expected.

This free event, open to the public, was organized by Patershuk and a host of volunteer committee members.

Susan Ryan, parent of Ladue students, helped to make the Holi-Due Bazaar a success. Ryan said the bazaar came together as a result of volunteers making phone calls and sending emails to friends, parents and local small business owners and artists about the opportunity for vendor space. The small fee vendors paid will go toward the funding of programs supported by the Ladue Education Foundation.

Although fundraising was one of the reasons for the Holi-Due Bazaar, according to Patershuk, the main reason was to raise awareness about the Ladue Education Foundation.

The Ladue Education Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation, was formed in 2006 to raise money to fund programs and initiatives that focus on creating extraordinary student achievement for the nearly 4,000 students at Ladue Schools at all grade levels.

“The goal of the foundation is to give extraordinary opportunities to all students in Ladue,” said Ryan.

Through partnerships with local companies, universities and organizations such as the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, Monsanto and Washington University, the Ladue Education Foundation learning initiatives are becoming a reality.

The foundation focuses on three main areas: teacher grants that fund unique programs; community partnerships such as the Donald Danforth Science Center mentor program at the high school; and program and curricular integration such as the speaker series that helps prepare students for a global environment.