by Maddy Pontz
The first time I walked through the doors of the Lancaster Farm & Home Center, I was a preteen. Now, I am in my early 30s. While I’m not sure how, exactly, this amount of time has passed – it truly feels unbelievable – I know that the Gifts That Give Hope alternative gift fair has kept me coming back, year after year, even as my interests, life, and personality have naturally changed over the course of the past two decades.
At this point, GTGH feels like a core part of my holiday season. And yet – sometimes it’s really lovely to pull back from the things we know so well, to see them through fresh eyes, and to remember what an extraordinary show of community love and kindness this annual event really is.
I showed up to my first gift fair with the gusto of any tween whose mom has just informed them that they’ll be making an additional stop on the way home – which is to say, perhaps, that I was not especially thrilled. However, I was so quickly won over by the joy in the room – the myriad people gathered in one space to share stories of non-profits and organizations working to make our community and our larger world a better, more just, more equitable place for all.
Over the years, I’ve watched the GTGH fair grow – adding an artisan marketplace, food and coffee trucks, children’s games and events, musical performances, and more. I’ve gotten to know Jenn Knepper, the warm-hearted founder and organizer of the fair. And I’ve grown to absolutely adore my annual outing to this community event.
Now, my husband and I make a whole morning of it – we get there close to opening and start by grabbing a coffee from Character Coffee and doing a full lap around the main space, chatting with the folks from any non-profit that catches our eye. We normally set a budget for our donations ahead of time; then, after our lap, we sit together, sip our lattes, and chat about how we want to make use of our funds. This year, for example, we focused our donations on locally-impactful non-profits.
After our donations have been made, we always head into the artisan marketplace, browsing for holiday gifts. (In writing, I’m making our morning at the fair seem a bit brief. However, the best part of this day is always the many, many people we run into – a seemingly endless train of people we know from the fair in years past, other community organizations we’re involved with, friends and family, and more.)
As a child attending GTGH, I loved spending time with my mom – and, honestly, it felt ‘grown up’ to explore our community in this hopeful way. Every year, I have left the Gifts That Give Hope alternative gift fair believing that I can contribute to my community and that there is a coalition of caring, dedicated folks out there, working to make the world a better place.
The truth of the matter is that, as much as I love my annual latte from Character Coffee, this feeling that I can do some good in the world, that I can have a positive impact – no matter how small – is what has brought me back year after year.
Make It Part of Your Holiday Tradition
Come experience a different kind of holiday shopping—one filled with meaningful gifts, community connection, local nonprofits, ethical vendors, food, and plenty of reasons to come back year after year.
