Hillsboro is not the kind of place that you’d expect to house an arts and crafts fair ranking among the top 100 in the nation, according to Sunshine Artist magazine. Even before coming to Tabor, I had heard of the Hillsboro Arts and Crafts Fair that has been held annually since its creation in 1970. I was pretty excited to see what this little community had to offer that could attract so much attention from about 40,000 shoppers from around the country this last Saturday.
The event started at 9 Saturday morning, but being the tired college student that I am, I slept in and didn’t join the party on Main Street until about 1 p.m. As soon as I got there, I was just amazed by the vast expanse of white tents lining almost the entire street. Even though the fair was starting to wind down, there were a lot of people wandering in and out of the booths. It was so neat to see the different types of vendors selling all sorts of products. I saw a lot of handmade pottery, signs, antiques, clothes, and of course, a great deal of booths selling any and all types of food. I had already eaten lunch at Tabor and was full, so my wallet was happy with me when I passed by each food vendor without stopping to taste even a sample.
Everywhere I turned was a smiling face as my friends and I walked down the street. Many of the vendors I passed by, but I got to have a good chat with one of the firemen at the Hillsboro Fire Department booth. While I was purchasing a shirt, he told me that the money raised at the fair would go toward buying a drone to use to detect the size and source of a wildfire. Having this technology would go a long way in regards to the efficiency of containing the fire and extinguishing it. At the time that I had talked with that fireman, so many community members were in full support of the department’s fundraising project and were lining up to buy the meal that was being served. I realized that I was watching firsthand how Hillsboro strives to take care of its local businesses and residents.
Tabor is a huge part of this little community, and I have seen many times already how the members rally around the college. Hillsboro’s heart is so evident in the way it chooses to give. Whether its in financial gifts, volunteering, or even a simple smile, the community has a warm, inviting atmosphere. Of course, some Tabor students from big cities may not see the town in the same light as I do. For some personalities, recognizing faces everywhere you go might not be appealing. It’s a town that chooses to love its inhabitants; it’s not a forced affection. The college has absorbed that value as well, evident by the staff and even the students who have been changed by Tabor. I have a feeling that not many students, if any, can leave Tabor without a piece of Hillsboro’s giving heart.