Thanks A Million campaign: Onkaparinga Council’s Original Open Market Liz Stanley nominated

Liz Stanley was determined to keep her local markets open during the pandemic. This is how she did it.

Liz Stanley helps to run the Original Open Market at Christies Beach which donates all profits to those in need in the community. Picture: Tom Huntley

For many residents of Onkaparinga Council, the twice monthly Original Open Market held at Christies Beach is a life source.

So when it closed for several months due to COVID-19, many struggled with the lost income but others lost the means to make ends meet.

Liz Stanley has helped organise the market since 2000 and has been nominated in the Thanks A Million campaign for her devotion and commitment to the market and the people it assists.

“Our stallholders are mostly unemployed people or those on pensions who rely on the market as a small sideline income,” said Ms Stanley, who is also the full-time carer for husband John. “For many, it was valuable money in their pocket and sometimes all they had to put food on the table. We had to close the market from the end of March to July and I got so many calls from people desperate to run their stalls again.”

Liz Stanley helps to run the Original Open Market at Christies Beach and has been nominated in the Thanks a Million campaign. Picture: Tom Huntley

The Original Open Market has operated since 1982. Starting as a seven-stall craft market, it has grown to 100 stalls selling everything from trash and treasure, second-hand books, fresh fruit and vegetables, arts, crafts and collectibles.

Ms Stanley is part of a six-person volunteer committee who run the market as a not-for-profit operation, meaning all proceeds go back into the community, assisting local sports clubs and welfare organisations.

The committee worked hard to open the market during COVID-19 so stallholders could once again access invaluable income.

“I called the COVID-19 hotline in July to see if we could open … there were no processes or rules in place for operating an open air market during COVID-19, so it was decided we could open up again as long as we were careful.

“It’s my passion, I absolutely love being involved in the market and have had a trash and treasure stall every market since I joined,” Ms Stanley said.

The market runs on the first and third Sunday of every month.

To nominate someone and say thanks, go to thanksamillion.net.au and they could receive a $200 Woolworths Gift Card.

Terms and conditions apply. For full terms and conditions, visit thanksamillion.net.au

Originally published as Thanks A Million campaign: Onkaparinga Council’s Original Open Market Liz Stanley nominated