Hyochang-dong Bareugesalgi Committee holds charity bazaar Monday, with proceeds from food and flea market stalls going to support neighbors in need
Yongsan-gu District Mayor Kim Kyung-dae encouraged volunteers and thanked residents who took part in a charity bazaar held Monday in the courtyard of the Hyochang-dong Community Center at 161 Hyochangwon-ro.
Organized by the Hyochang-dong Bareugesalgi (Better Living) Committee, the bazaar was held to support disadvantaged neighbors and foster community harmony. The event ran from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the front courtyard of the community center and drew a steady stream of visitors throughout the day.
Kim expressed gratitude to committee members and volunteers for their efforts in preparing and running the event, and praised those who joined in the spirit of giving for those in need.
The bazaar featured a food stall and a flea market. The food stall offered homemade dishes including janchi guksu (banquet noodles), savory pancakes, acorn jelly salad and kimchi tofu, while the flea market sold various fermented seafood products and everyday household goods. Proceeds from the day will go toward helping residents in difficult circumstances.
A free beverage tasting hosted by Dabang, a disability-awareness group affiliated with the Yongsan-gu District Welfare Center for the Disabled, added another dimension to the event. Dabang — short for "a way to understand difference" — is a group of adult members with developmental disabilities.
Members handed out beverages they had made themselves, exchanging greetings and conversation with residents. Visitors sampled the drinks and received eco-friendly items crafted by the members, creating a natural space for people with and without disabilities to mingle. The tasting broadened community participation for members with developmental disabilities and deepened residents' understanding of disability.
"I am grateful to the residents and the Bareugesalgi Committee who came with such warm hearts to help their neighbors, even as the weather turns cold," Kim said. "Particularly meaningful was the chance to share beverages with the members with disabilities, communicate with one another, and reflect on the value of a society where everyone lives together."
Yongsan-gu said it will continue to strengthen public-private cooperation to build a community where sharing and consideration become part of everyday life, and where no resident is left behind.
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