ALTERNATIVE GIFT MARKET 2011

Whether to donate meals to Haitian children or hungry and homeless Americans, trees for farmers in Central America or solar ovens for Africans, training for unemployed women or books for Nicaragua schools and libraries, medicines for Burma or to prevent anti-parasite disease globally? Oh, well, why not get one share of each of these good causes! Donations for alternative gifts totaled $2628, all given in honor of friends and family to send hope to the world’s poorest people.

The Heifer Project netted $1000. Two live chickens created a farmyard atmosphere while shares of bees, chickens, goats, cows and other animals were sold to enable farmers to earn a livelihood. Pregnant animals are delivered to families who are then trained to take care of them. The first-born is given away to another farmer who does the same, on and on, creating a community of farmers. The newest Heifer Project animal is the camel, to be sent to Tanzania where it can be used for transportation and milk while other animals can’t survive the drought.

The SERRV table completed the picture of self-help, selling handicrafts such as baskets from Africa, Christmas items from Palestine, jewelry from the Philippines, scarves from Viet Nam, instruments and Nativity scenes from Peru, the ever-popular chocolate bars, and soup beans from the United States. Creators of these items receive fair trade prices for their goods.

Our motto is "a hand up rather that a hand out”. Over $4000 was raised for this purpose. No wonder the excitement!

Alternative Gift Market 2012 will be, as usual, the Sunday before Thanksgiving, November 18, 2012.

Phyl Richardson

Outreach Commission

Click here for more pictures.