But it wasn't until last year that she decided to get involved. The Homestead athletics department needed financial help to pay for equipment, facilities and referees, but because of lack of funds, the money wasn't there.

So Bakey—with 24 years of experience making holiday crafts and 15 years experience running a boutique—helped the department organize its first annual boutique last year. The event brought in almost $5,000 to the struggling program.

"For our first year, it went very well," said Homestead athletics director Paula Weismann. "We also learned a lot about advertising and how to get more people out to it."

While the event had 62 vendors last year, this year some 90 vendors have already signed up, at $80 a booth. The sports teams, coaches and parents will also be selling food and running a raffle for prizes donated by each vendor.

In addition to the boutique, the school will host a Texas hold'em poker tournament on Nov. 20, from noon to 7 p.m. Boys basketball coach Marc Cadet said, "I was planning on doing this just for the basketball team itself, but since the school was in such need, we opened it up to everyone."

Card players sign up through the school's athletic teams, and then each team gets a cut of its players' $50­$55 entry fees. The basketball team alone has almost 60 people signed up already, and it stands to get $29 from each player.

Players will compete during the day for donated prizes—not money—and all players must be at least 18 years old. Inexperienced players can take lessons an hour before the tournament starts.

Weismann said the department had to start fundraising to cover the high costs of running teams. She said she pays at least $5,000 a year to pay for certificates, block letters and trophies alone.

"We're pretty much floating on our own here," Weismann said. "We do get some money from the associated student body, but we're really on our own, so this just helps us defray all our costs."

While this is the largest fundraiser the team has done, it is not the first. Cadet said his players have sold candy and magazines and held "Free Throw-athons," to raise the money they need.

"It's something that I've always done," Cadet said. "It's just a part of coaching high school sports."

Last year, most of the boutique attendees were part of Bakey's established network of crafters from around the state, who travel to various fairs and festivals to display their wares. This year more people have signed on. The small gym at the school will house crafting workshops, so attendees can make their own scrapbooks and greeting cards with help from experienced crafters.

"It's nice, as a crafter, to be able to make a contribution to something that really matters," Bakey said. "Seeing the crafters working with the teams is very satisfying, especially to do something to help the kids."

Bakey said that at the end of every boutique, the vendors are asked to rate the event, in terms of attendance, presentation, advertising and other factors.

Last year's boutique received a 9.9 rating across the board, except for attendance, which got a 2.

Bakey said the good review took care of getting more vendors there, but it's up to advertising and the community to get attendance up.

The attendance last year may have been sparse because the event was held on the same weekend as the De Anza Flea Market, which attracts many of the same boutique customers. This year, the Homestead Holiday Boutique is the weekend after the flea market, which also brings it closer to the holiday season, when more people are out shopping for gifts.

The second annual Homestead High School Holiday Boutique will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 13 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 14 in the Homestead High School gymnasiums. For more information, call 408.522.2500. The Homestead Texas Hold'em Tournament is on Nov. 20, from noon to 7 p.m., with lessons at 11 a.m. Registration for the tournament is $50 in advance, $55 at the door. For more information, call Marc Cadet at 408.807.2771 or email Homesteadpoker@earthlink.net. All players must be at least 18 years old.