Enthused shoppers know it’s all fair at event

from The Lebanon Daily News

By KATHY HACKLEMAN

SCHAEFFERSTOWN — Shoppers at yesterday’s Lutheran World Relief Fair Trade Fair at St. Luke Lutheran Church offered two reasons for being there.

While they certainly came to shop, either for themselves or other, many cited another overriding goal: to make life a little better for someone they will never meet.

The fair, organized by the St. Luke Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, is a part of the LWR Handcraft Project. It featured handcrafted products from artisans in 35 countries. The money raised after the craftsmen were paid a fair wage is being donated to LWR.

This was St. Luke’s first venture into the fair-trade world, but it will not be its last.

Sue Donmoyer, wife of the Rev. Daniel Donmoyer, the church’s pastor, organized the event and said the women weren’t sure how successful the fair would be, so they ordered a pre-selected package of crafts.

“We already are talking about doing it again next year, but I think we’ll order on our own because we have a feel now for what sold first and what people are looking for,” she said.

Among the hot items were baskets from Bangladesh; nativity scenes from Ecuador, Peru and Sri Lanka; and wooden toys from India. Other items included linens from Thailand and jewelry from India and El Salvador.

Members of the women’s group knew they had sponsored a successful event about an hour into it.

“It went much better than we had expected,” committee member Faith Thunberg noted. “(Shoppers) came in steady droves, and about 10:30 a.m. we really had a chance to look at the tables, and a lot of them were bare.”

In fact, shoppers who waited until noon found very few items left.

Lebanon resident Becca Reid was one of the shoppers who arrived early enough. The recipient of many gifts from similar fairs, she decided she wanted to see all the available crafts.

“I bought a nativity because I’ve decided I want to start collecting nativities,” she explained. “I also am buying jewelry for a friend who works with women in South America helping them start their own businesses, so I’m buying a gift for her so she can support this by proxy.”

Next year, Reid plans to be among the first in line so she can meet her twin goals of helping eradicate poverty across the world and buying presents for her family and friends.

A lover of quality craft items from other countries, Jonestown resident Shirley Friese figured she would find many choices at yesterday’s fair.

“I like the idea that it’s helping people in other countries and helping people make a living with their handcrafted items.”

Although there weren’t many items left from which to choose by the time she arrived, Friese picked up several small gifts and said with a smile, “I might end up with something for myself, also.”

Mother-and-daughter team Susan and Kaitlyn DeLong, Lebanon, matched wits with a 3-D wooden puzzle, then decided they would shop the catalog since they had missed out on seeing most of the crafts.

“It’s so interesting,” Susan DeLong said. “You get a different perspective on crafts, just the idea of seeing things from around the world. I find it fascinating.”

Pastor Donmoyer said he was pleased with the turnout.

“I think it went great,” he said. “It is my hope that it reminds people of folks far away, people who don’t have the luxuries and the possibilities that we have. ... This allows them to get paid for the time they put in rather than being exploited.”

This fair trade fair fits in with his congregation’s wish to help people, Donmoyer said.

“We want to help locally and globally and everywhere in between,” he said. “God is moving here.”

In addition to the tables set up through Lutheran World Relief, Jonestown resident Melissa Sweeney, who works with Bead for Life, a similar program that sells jewelry made by Ugandan women, also had a table.

For those who missed yesterday’s fair and wish to make a difference in the life of a poor craftsman in a far-away country (and pick up some gifts), the Trinity Lutheran Church of Colebrook, 58 Church Road, will host a similar event from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday.