Editor, The Spotlight:
A huge “thank you” to all who attended the Black Friday and Saturday Fair Trade Market at Delmar Reformed Church, or who encouraged friends and neighbors to come along and shop with us. Although we don’t yet have all the final figures, many of our vendors report record sales this year. That means even more dollars going to do good among communities of Mayan women in Guatemala, slum-dwellers in Kenya, survivors of the sex trade in India, China, Vietnam and Cambodia, AIDS widows in Zambia… and many other deserving people around the world.
On behalf of my fellow coordinators I’d also like to thank our hosts at Delmar Reformed Church, the volunteers, vendors and our caterers – you make this event such a pleasure to organize! And biggest thanks to the creative craftspeople from all corners of the globe whose skill and artistry provide a wealth of beautiful goods for us to sell at the market.
I don’t think I’ve met anyone who actively chooses to shop in ways that exploit people and planet. However, it is easily done without even knowing it. The fair trade movement is at the forefront of the effort to raise people’s awareness of the fact that how we spend our money impacts others’ lives – and we can choose to do the maximum good with our dollars by seeking out fair trade and local and environmentally responsible options wherever possible. Thank you to everyone who continues to support fair trade throughout the year, through purchases and by sharing the message.
Anna McMahon
Coordinator, Fair Trade Bethlehem