by Marian Pontz
For many years now, in a myriad of different ways, from personal stories and anecdotes to data-driven collection, we have tried to describe exactly what the Gifts that Give Hope Fair is. The goal has always been to explain its purpose to engage the first-time visitor because we have learned that once someone visits the fair, they return each year. Most visitors share their excitement about returning to experience the fun they had the year before, and many state that it has become a family tradition to visit the fair. So, like eating M&Ms, you can't eat just one, and once you visit, you return the following years, but how do we better explain the fair to those who have never been?
Fair is derived from the French word meaning to do, to create, to build. For one day, in one place, for a few hours, this year, Saturday, October 10, from 10-3, at the Farm and Home Center, we create opportunities to learn about and invest in non-profits that have identified needs and found ways to fix them. We shop in the market area full of Fair Trade, B Corp, and environmentally sustainable wares. We see our children having fun participating in scavenger hunts, winning books, and meeting new friends. And, we enjoy the most delicious foods and drinks from the food trucks that circle the parking lot. All of these volunteers, artisans, and small business owners work together on that day to create fun memories and help all of us build a more engaged, informed, ultimately better world.
There are four sections to the fair. The original area is the largest, with local, national, and international non-profits sharing their work with the fairās visitors. One of the first years of the fair, I listened intently as Heifer International explained its work, and I bought a goat for my mother. Meaning I contributed to the organization and was then given a card and a document stating that a goat had been bought for a village somewhere in Latin America. Shared the story and the gift with my mother, who opened the gift and proclaimed she had no room for a goat. The confusion was frustrating them, but many years later, it always adds a laugh to our holiday gatherings. I made the mistake of not aligning the gift to the recipient. And how many times has that happened to all of us? Really, you see me in a hot pink sweater? The following year, I bought or invested in school books for a different non-profit. This gift my mother understood, books for children would always bring her joy. Ā As I now wander the nonprofit room, I am careful to consider my recipients, their likes and passions, and to align the gifts accordingly.Ā
Sometimes a tangible gift is appropriate and necessary, but being thoughtful and discerning in my selection supports my needs as well as the local business owners and artisans. The perfect pair of earrings for my friend can also mean buying them from a woman who started her business to help former addicts find purpose and financial means. Every vendor not only sells beautiful and unique wares, but also has a story that shows the money is not going into another billionaire's bank account; it supports local creators.
Through the years, the fair has expanded to offer entertainment, children's games, tables of volunteers sharing stories of their community, engaging groups looking for new members, book clubs, gardeners, Ā builders of goodwill, and community. The Gifts that Give Hope Fair has expanded beyond its initial non-profit gifting into a day of unique and fun activities that satisfy on so many levels.
