South Bay residents invited to sign banner, send personal message to military troops.

CHULA VISTA, Calif. – The Farmer’s Market and Open Air Bazaar at EastLake Elementary School (1955 Hillside Dr.) will feature an Arts and Crafts Fair this Friday, April 4, with expanded hours from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. A colorful banner will be on display for the public to sign and send a personal message to the military troops aboard the USS Thach, a San Diego-based guided missile fast frigate assigned to the USS Constellation Battle Group. The USS Thach and its more than 300 sailors on board departed San Diego in November to support Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In addition to the Arts and Crafts Fair, the Farmer’s Market and Open Air Bazaar will feature fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers from more than 20 local farmers. Entertainment and children’s activities such as pony rides, a petting zoo and inflatable jump will also be on hand.

The Farmer’s Market and Open Air Bazaar is held every Friday at EastLake Elementary School. Every week there is new entertainment, and new specialty items and food vendors are featured, with prepared foods offered for those who want to take a night off from cooking. Effective April 11, new Daylight Savings Time hours for the Farmer’s Market will be from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

A non-profit event, the Farmer’s Market gives all proceeds to the EastLake Educational Foundation, an organization established by The EastLake Company to raise funds for all the public schools in the community.