Holiday Boutique Offers Shopping Surprises
• Peninsula High’s annual Holiday Boutique offers a great shopping experience with support for Peninsula High athletics.
The holiday season brings cheer, joy and the frantic rush of shopping for presents.
Peninsula High School’s Athletic Booster Club (ABC) helps people get their holiday shopping done in a day. The annual Holiday Boutique features many small stores such as Antica Olive Oils, Gus Vintage, Sweet Sugar Bath, Classy Chargers, Life and Lemonade and more.
Set up in the Peninsula gym, the Boutique was held on Dec. 8 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Many students trickled in and out as the day went on to get hot chocolate or buy presents for their friends and family.
The ABC is an organization that helps raise funds for anything that the athletic program needs and that the school does not have money for.
The Booster Club has annual fixed costs that it pays for every year, averaging about $100,000. Some of the big items the Club pays for includes maintenance of the fields, resurfacing of the tennis courts, the new track and pool, and the scoreboards for many sports.
The Holiday Boutique is one of the several events the ABC puts on.
“The ABC raises about $250,000 a year through membership, the Holiday Boutique and the big Black and Gold event during March,” said co-president of the Athletic Booster Club Julia Parton Rosas.
“I have been on the board for six years and I know the ABC has been hosting the Holiday Boutique for the entire time I have been there, which is wonderful,” she said.
All of the vendors at the boutique are contacted by Drina Semenjuk who goes out and gets contracts with them. One of the stores personally connected to Peninsula is Gus Vintage, which is run by head cheer coach Kim Stoneman.
“The holiday boutique is a great way to get everyone in the holiday spirit,” said Stoneman. “It sells goods and invites local makers and sellers, which is vital in any community to support local business and shop small. It is so encouraging what people do that keeps our community unique and strong. It lets everyone know that you can start your own business and depend on the local love of your community.”
The boutique sells a variety of appliances, which targets a wide range of customers. There was green tea, necklaces, phone chargers, purses and more. There is something for everyone and no one could leave without buying a present.
“I loved starting the month with a great holiday boutique,” said Ari Cho. “It brought great holiday vibes to our school and the stores that were selling had festive and unique items. I really think that the boutique is a wonderful event where the community comes together to gradually start celebrating the holidays!”
The Boutique is a way for businesses to convene and display their products at a place where there are many people eager to purchase a gift for their loved ones especially during this time of year.
“We are thankful for those who participate and those who shop for the Athletic Booster Club with all their support for our cheer program and all the other sports programs as well,” Stoneman said.
