TGIF takes on a whole new meaning in Hernando, as the Weeki Wachee Area Club, 7442 Shoal Line Blvd., brings us the Weeki Wachee Area Club Friday Peddlers Market. And as vendors of all varieties offer their wares for sale to the community, they will support the club that supports so many.
This clubhouse is owned and operated by a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation. Its members are all volunteers who plan and coordinate events to benefit the community and the club. The club relies solely on donations and proceeds from planned events for its operation.
“The Area Club is in need of some help to raise money to update our restrooms and plumbing,” said Mary Ann Johnson, president of the Weeki Wachee Area Club. “Our local community Produce Vendor asked us to consider having a Vendor Market each Friday at the club, to help raise some money. Which they wanted to be part of and help.”
February 9th marked the Weeki Wachee Area Club Friday Peddlers Market’s grand debut, launching with a special offer for free vendor space throughout February.
“The free vendor space offer will extend through March 8. After that date, any vendor wishing to continue to be part of the Weeki Wachee Area Club community market would be asked to pay $15 per space in the market,” said Johnson.
The debut community market featured more than 32 vendors and drew a crowd of more than 150 people.
“‘We had 32+ vendors, like baked goods, fresh produce, fresh local honey, arts/crafts, soaps and jewelry, and food trucks,” said Johnson.
Aside from being a fun event, the market serves as a fund-raiser intended to facilitate needed enhancements at the area club. “This fund-raiser supports parking lot repairs and resurfacing, valued at $28,000 to $38,000, and the much-needed bath upgrade to current ADA standards, for which we have no estimates yet,” said Johnson. “We also need A/C units and outside lighting.”
The shared goal of all of these refurbishments is the improvement and betterment of the club that has, for the past half-century, served as a cornerstone of the Hernando community. “This is a 50-year-old building,” said Johnson, “and we are doing many more activities to create a place for all to come.”
Johnson credits the club’s primary produce vendor with conceptualizing the Weeki Wachee Area Club Friday Peddlers Market. “This vendor idea was brought to us by Jean and Dave Steward of DJ Produce, a time Produce Vendor in our area that wanted to help us out here at the Weeki Wachee Area Club by moving their location to our building and getting other vendors to participate, to bring more community services to the area and also help local vendors with another safe location to conduct their business.”
The WWAC Friday Peddlers Market will occur from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, March 8. Also, that day, the Bloodmobile will visit the area club. For more information, call 352-584-9072 or 352-398-2738.
