Tonight, members of Great Bend High School Future Business Leaders of America and sponsor Cody Lee will be getting together in the PAC, but playing ball isn’t on the agenda.  They’ll be doing the initial set-up for the annual Christmas Craft Fair.  Students will make sure there are the right sized tables, chairs, and electrical hook-ups if needed at each space.  All three gymnasiums will be filled with 83 craft and vendor booths from all over the state, when doors open to the public at 9:30 a.m. Saturday.   
But before the sun rises, FBLA club members will help with carrying in supplies and setting up.
“It’s a puzzle to put together because people don’t want to be placed next to similar vendors,” Lee said.   “A lot of vendors come back every year, and we get rave reviews because there aren’t many craft shows with this level of help with unloading and reloading.”
The club sponsors the sale for two reasons.  First, admission charged to shoppers go to fund member participation in the state and national contests coming up in 2014.  The cost is $1 at the door.  Second, it offers a hands-on opportunity for students to try out business and customer service skills.  They organize the event, perform marketing and promotion of the event, provide customer service and perform bookkeeping and accounting functions, Lee said.
President Alec Witt receives calls and emails from multiple vendors of the same line.  While the show policy is first come, first served, the club begins taking registrations for next year’s show the day of the event.  Those who didn’t get in this year can register for next year at the show.      
New this year, the group has arranged with Waters True Value to donate use of the bounce house for “Bounce for Babies”, a new activity club members felt would give children a chance to burn off energy and play while their adults shop.  Wristbands will be $5 and proceeds  will support the March of Dimes.
“Mom’s can feel very comfortable bringing their kids around,” Lee said.  Members are learning to make balloon animals and a very good face painter will be there also, she said.   
This fall, the Great Bend FBLA club will host a district competition for the first time.  Club tradition is for the district vice president to host the event, and this year, senior Zachary Reynolds holds the title.  He is in charge of organizing and delegating responsibilities for the 50 events, finding judges, timers and proctors to administer tests, as well as serving lunch, printing name tags, fliers, and other documents.  The club expects to serve 500 people on Feb. 1, the day of the event.  Participants will be arriving from 19 schools in the district.  The top 10 participants will qualify to attend the state competition.  For events with fewer than 10, students need to score in the top half of the event.  Lee said this gives students incentive to try their best to win the reward.  Great Bend has won top honors the past two years, Lee said.  
The state FBLA competition will be held in March, and winners there will go on to compete in the national competition during summer break.