Heart over hustle: Young entrepreneurs shine at Everett’s

Pine trees wrapped in Christmas lights lined the drive down to Everett’s lakeside property Saturday afternoon, guiding families toward a festive Small Business Saturday celebration. As the sun faded over Wasilla Lake, cars eased in and out of the parking lot, visitors bundled against the cold streamed toward the Pavilion, and the entire grounds buzzed with anticipation.

Dozens of youth vendors; some seasoned, some launching their first-ever business; filled every corner of the resort’s property. Parents, grandparents, friends, and curious shoppers wandered between tables, pausing to admire handmade goods and encourage the young entrepreneurs behind them. Surrounding the entrepreneurs were their families eager to support them. Everywhere smiles, pride, and a buzzing of excitement as the goods were being sold.

Palmer High Senior Miranda Rodekohr, one of the young entrepreneur vendors, carries generosity far bigger than the craft fair table she sits behind. Her display overflows with color and care, watercolor cards, pumpkin rolls, chocolate covered treats, candy canes “even the big ones,” popcorn mixes, muddy buddies, Oreo truffles, and two kinds of cake.

The packaging carries her personal touch. “I designed the stickers, and then my mom printed them out, and I taped them... so they aren’t actually stickers,“ she laughs.

But the real story isn’t what she’s selling. It’s why.

“All of my proceeds are going to My House,” she says, almost casually, as if giving everything away is the most natural thing in the world. “I just looked up some charities and organizations because I knew I wanted to give the money away somewhere. They have no idea I am going to give them money. I’m just going to be like, ‘Hey, here you go.’”

The idea sparked at work one day when she realized...”I don’t need this money. I don’t need it at all.” At the time, SNAP benefits were uncertain, parts of the government were shutting down, and families across Alaska were feeling the strain especially after the typhoon that hit Western Alaska. “Everybody was going through hardships,” she says. “I just want to help people. I just decided, If am going to do this craft fair. Why don’t I just give all my money away.” So she signed up for the craft fair with a simple plan: give it all away. “I have a job. I’m set.”

Miranda offers her generosity and a reminder that kindness can come in many forms. “I don’t want anything for Christmas...I just want to help people.” That sentiment is something all people of all ages could all learn from.

Just across the property, another young entrepreneur arrived with a very different story, one of extraordinary resilience.

“This young lady just had a house fire, but thankfully they were able to save her business,” Amber Glasser, patron of the event said. “This is resilience and a huge comeback story. We are so proud of her.”

Alyssa Spaulding, a student vendor, recalled the night two weeks earlier when her home caught fire. “I had been sleeping on the couch when my dad started yelling, ‘Fire!’” she said. “He was screaming, ‘Get out!’ I just ran. I was terrified.”

Spaulding said she escaped with only the clothes she was wearing. “I literally walked out of my house with socks, a shirt, and shorts,” she said. “I thought I wasn’t going to have anything.”

The flames tore through the home. “Downstairs was where my stuff was,” she said. “I had hundreds of dollars’ worth of materials. Watching the fire, I thought, ‘There’s no way any of it survived.’ I was devastated.”

But when her parents were finally able to go back inside after the fire was put out, they discovered something unexpected. “The whole downstairs where my projects were was untouched,” Spaulding said. “I had been praying everything would be okay, but I wasn’t expecting it.”

This year, Everett’s hosted 60 youth vendors, each bringing not only products to sell but a story. Stories of creativity, generosity, perseverance, and newfound confidence. Shoppers drifted between tables offering everything from crocheted creations and woodworking to baked goods, slime kits, artwork, and holiday baskets.

At the end of the event, awards were given across three age categories:

High School: 1. Little Chief Crochet; 2. Witches Stitches; 3. Dragon’s Hoard; Middle School: 1. Prickly Rose Design; 2. Café Bloom; 3.Alykat’s Kustom; Elementary School: 1. Perennial Petal