Signal Staff Writer
mgasca@the-signal.com
Posted: Nov. 7, 2009 8:22 p.m.
Canyon Country resident Jennifer Potter made quite a dent in her to-do list on Saturday. She finished almost all of her holiday shopping in less than an hour.
From the Santa Clarita Valley Emergency Winter Shelter, she purchased decorative pins for her kids’ teachers and her sister. From the international nonprofit organization Ten Thousand Villages, Potter bought hand-crafted nativity scenes and ornaments for other relatives.
The money Potter spent benefited those organizations that she purchased from. The point was to find gifts for her loved ones that benefit those who are less fortunate.
“We don’t need stuff. We already have stuff,” Potter said. “We’re doing things in other people’s honor.”
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church hosted Saturday the Santa Clarita Alternative Gift Fair with the participation of 16 local, national and international nonprofit organizations. The gift fair continues today from noon to three at 24901 Orchard Village Road.
The gift fair is hosted in response to consumerism, said event chairperson Mary Jo Higginbotham. Last year the gift fair helped eight organizations raise more than $11,000.
“We really believe people have enough stuff,” Higginbotham said. “We believe those who have need to share with those who have not.”
A $25 gift donation to the Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry buys a six-month supply of fresh milk for a needy child, said the pantry’s executive director Belinda Crawford.
In return, the Pantry gave donors a wrapped card letting a friend or relative know that the donation was made in their name.
At the Nets for Life table, visitors could purchase a $12 mosquito net to be distributed in a country of Sub-Saharan Africa as a tool to combat malaria.
“Nets for Life provides training and nets in 17 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa,” said gift fair volunteer David Potter. “Almost a million people a year die of malaria in that part of Africa.”
Handcrafted items from countries like India and Peru covered five tables at the Ten Thousand Villages table, a fair trade retail store that supports village artisans around the world, said gift fair volunteer Theresa Steward.
Artisans and Ten Thousand Villages agree on a fair price covering the cost of labor and materials while enabling artisans to earn fair compensation for their work. Every item is labeled with the price and what country the item came from.
“I think everyone here is here because they want to do something good for the community and good for the world,” Stewart said.
Mary Ellen, of Valencia, went home with some jewelry from Uganda, a hand-woven scarf from Nepal, Christmas ornaments from Bethlehem and more.
“None of the money goes to anyone besides the people making these goods so you know exactly where the money is going,” she said. “You’re going to buy a gift anyway, so why not buy a gift that gives to the world.”
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