Students, faculty and staff stopped by the Health and Sports Center last week for the 30th annual University of Nebraska at Kearney Student/Faculty/Staff Craft and Art Show. The long-running event featured homemade products such as candles, wood decor and bath bombs.
Frank Kovacs, a UNK chemistry professor and second-year vendor at the show, said he values the event not only for the opportunity to sell his products, but also for the ability to help other small businesses.
“We commit 10% of our sales to help start small businesses in developing countries,” Kovacs said. “Last year from our sales, we were able to give $600 to help a small company buy beehives.”
Kovacs makes soy and beeswax candles, wax melts, beeswax wraps and car fresheners. His business operates as a mission-driven project, something he said makes the work more meaningful.
Kovacs said seeing customers respond to both the craft and the cause keeps him motivated to return each year.
Natalia Wiezorek, a freshman pre-dental biology major, spent the day selling wooden holiday decor made by her family, including light-up trees, lanterns and angels.
“My dad cuts everything out, and then my mom, sister and I all paint it up and make it look really nice,” Wiezorek said.
Her family-run business started a little more than a year ago to raise money.
“We started last year as a little fundraiser for some of the activities I do, and we just kept doing it because we all really enjoyed it,” Wiezorek said.
Wiezorek said she hadn’t initially planned to participate until an email from UNK caught her attention.
“I saw an email from the school and didn’t think much of it,” Wiezorek said. “I talked to my mom about it, and she convinced me to do it.”
Wiezorek said she had a steady mix of students and staff stopping by her booth throughout the day, making the experience both encouraging and rewarding as she continues growing the business.
For senior art education major Hailey Hanneman, the craft show offered a chance to continue a business she began in high school – homemade bath bombs.
Her business also began as a fundraiser with a close friend before expanding into something larger.
Hanneman now makes the products with help from her fiancé and family, participating in craft shows across Nebraska. She said the UNK event remains one of her favorites because of its location and the accessibility the campus environment provides.
“You catch people walking through to their classes all the time,” Hanneman said. “It’s a great spot to catch people’s eyes even when they aren’t looking.”
With steady interest throughout the day, vendors said the show offered another opportunity to reach the campus community. The event will return next year as part of UNK’s ongoing tradition of supporting student and staff makers.
