Church prepares for fair trade festival sale

from the Fort Saskatchewan Record

St. George’s teams up with fair trade group to offer crafts made by third-world artists

By Clara Ho
Record Staff

Those who enjoy unique arts and crafts and want to support fair trade are invited to the upcoming Ten Thousand Villages handicraft sale at the Anglican Parish of St. George on Nov. 16 and 17.

For the third time, the parish will be hosting the festival sale with the non-profit organization that helps artists from third-world countries make a living. The sale will go from 2 to 8 p.m. on the 16th and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the 17th.

Shirley Prochnau, the event co-ordinator, said the parish wanted to host the event because it was a worthwhile cause.

“I think anything that can better people’s lives is worthwhile doing,” she said.

Plus many of the handicrafts featured are unique and only available at the Ten Thousand Villages stores, she added.


Handmade products like musical instruments, Christmas ornaments and jewelry by people from more than 30 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America will be available for sale. All the proceeds from the sale will go to Ten Thousand Villages.

As well, there will be an international reception on Nov. 16 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. where finger foods from the featured countries will be served. And on Nov. 17 from 1:30 to 3 p.m., the Families First organization will facilitate Rhymes and Stories Times for children.

Ten Thousand Villages is a non-profit fair trade organization that provides vital fair income to third world people by marketing their handicrafts and telling their stories in North America through various stores throughout the continent.

The organization also provides some healthcare and educational programs.

“We’re trying to help the poorest of the poor and by giving them fair trade, we look at the economies of their countries, we then give them more than what it would cost to exist,” said Diane Reddekopp, co-manager at the Ten Thousand Villages store on Whyte Avenue in Edmonton.

Reddekopp said these festival sales are one way for groups to promote fair trade beyond the bigger cities that have Ten Thousand Villages stores.

“The product and the idea for fair trade are spread out a little more throughout the area than just by coming to our localized store,” she said.

Prochnau said she urges people to come check out the event, even if just to look at the handicrafts.

“When you see the poverty in the third world countries that’s happening, and what’s happening over there with the different things going on, it just kind of makes you think, ‘Well, we can do a little bit to help these people.’”