This holiday season, The Friends of Reading Hospital encourages employees and community members to shop local at the annual Holiday Happenings Craft Shop on Wednesday, December 6 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will be held in the Reading Hospital Fifth Avenue Lobby and Conference Rooms 1 to 3. Free valet parking is available at the 5th Avenue Garage.
The Friends of Reading Hospital hosts Holiday Happenings every year to support local artisans while providing employees with the opportunity to buy unique, handmade gifts for their loved ones. The Friends also oversees their annual cookie sale, which consists of classics like sand tarts, chocolate chip, and snickerdoodle cookies. This year, they sold 492 boxes of cookies.
The Friends of Reading Hospital donates all proceeds from the event. Funding supports programs such as HeartSAFE Berks County, Reading Hospital Street Medicine, and Reach Out and Read that benefit community well-being.
The fair will feature more than 15 local vendors selling handmade signs, jewelry, soaps, and much more! The Friends will also be selling their signature items consisting of handmade wreaths, gift baskets, and a wide array of cookies. “We look forward to this event every year,” said Sharon Keating, President of The Friends of Reading Hospital. “We begin preparations months in advance to ensure this cornerstone event is the best it can be. It’s such a wonderful way to connect and support our local artists and small businesses.”
2023 Holiday Happenings vendors :
- Furniture Farm and Antiques
- Linda Beiler’s Wheat Straw Art
- Urban Charm
- Sandy’s Cookie Company
- The Tubby Olive
- Handmade Jewelry by Vicki
- The Great American Creamery
- On Lilac Lane
- Sweet Sally’s Soaps
- From the Heart Consignment
- Fran Parzenese
- Tinsel & Twig
- Ginger Bread Cookie Co.
- Sue Boronski (Scentsy)
- Reppert’s Candy, Inc.
- Joanie’s Creations
- Cedar Hill Flower Girls
- The Friends of Reading Hospital
Mary Ellen Batman, a 33-year Reading Hospital volunteer and member of The Friends of Reading Hospital, visited every craft show within one hour of the hospital to invite local artisans to share their work.
“We are so grateful to Mary Ellen Batman for volunteering her time to help curate Holiday Happenings to include a variety of handmade and artisanal items,” Keating said. “She has done a tremendous job selecting this year’s vendors. We are encouraging as many people as possible to come to the event and shop local.”
About Reading Hospital
Reading Hospital is the flagship, Magnet Recognized, acute care hospital of Tower Health. Located in West Reading, Pa., Reading Hospital is a 697-bed hospital that is home to many top-tier specialty care centers, including Reading HealthPlex, McGlinn Cancer Institute, Miller Regional Heart Center, Emergency Department, Level I Trauma Center and Beginnings Maternity Center, which houses the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With more than 1,000 physicians, specialists, and advanced practice providers across 49 locations, Reading Hospital has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across service lines. It is listed as one of America's 100 Best Hospitals for four consecutive years (and moving up to America’s 50 Best Hospitals in 2022). For more information, visit towerhealth.org.