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Summer Breeze
Ten Thousand Villages has a wonderful selection of
items to make your outdoor living more colorful and
comfortable.
Browse our hammocks, kites and planters handcrafted by skilled artisans in Indonesia, Guatemala and Vietnam. |
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| by Stephen Hochstetler |
A New Year Begins
July is the start of our fiscal year. Not only is
this an ideal time to pause and plan for the coming
year, it also gives us a chance to review and
reflect on the events of these past 12 months.
I am very optimistic about our new fiscal year. I am proud of our staff and volunteers who have worked hard to provide great customer service. Their dedication has increased sales by 25 percent over the previous year. |
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Introductory Rug Workshops, every Monday in July,
9:30 to 10:30 a.m., at 1317 South Congress. No RSVP
necessary.
July 10-16: Our ‘Christmas in July’ sale brings you nativities and ornaments from Asian, African and Latin America. Benefit Nights Wed, July 12: Journey – an Imperfect Faith Community Thurs, July 20: Keep it Healthy, incorporating healthy lifestyles for the Austin community Looking Ahead August 2-6: Annual Traveling Oriental Rug Event offering hand knotted rugs supporting the quality you desire and the fairness artisans deserve. Attend a free Oriental Rug Appreciation Seminar on Saturday, August 5. Contact Kitty via e-mail or call 512-440-0440. |
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| Meagan Chesrown (byline & photo credit) |
Unidas Para Vivir Mejor (UPAVIM), which means United
to Live Better, started in 1984 as a cooperative
project that generates income for poor women in La
Esperanza, Guatemala. Today, it is a thriving
community center that serves its members and the
local community. As UPAVIM continues to expand
thanks to its successful craft production and
partnerships with fair trade organizations like Ten
Thousand Villages, it also continues to educate and
improve the lives of Esperanza’s citizens.
UPAVIM is a self-governing organization operated solely by women. As a result, not only are women enjoying a renewed sense of self-confidence, independence and determination, they are also developing social capital through the sharing of local skills and knowledge. |
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Nancy and Gene
This month, we turn our volunteer spotlight on Nancy
and Gene. They are a husband and wife team and have
been volunteers at Ten Thousand Villages since
February of this year. They do a wide variety of
tasks in the store including helping customers,
unpacking merchandise, running the register and
cleaning.
How long have you two lived in Austin? Since 1990 Where did you move from? Valparaiso, Indiana Why did you move to Austin? Our son and his family live here, so we moved here after retiring. What motivated you to volunteer at our store? Our friend Veronica volunteers here and we think it's a great place with a good purpose. This gives us something fun that we can do together. What's your favorite thing in the store? Nancy: I like everything! Gene: My favorite thing is the coiled bamboo from Viet Nam. What's your favorite thing about Austin? The people - especially our grandchildren! |
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Media, PA: America’s First Fair Trade Town
Media, PA, is America’s first fair trade as of July
8.
To get fair trade status, a village, town, borough, city, zone, county or island has to make a substantial commitment to the promotion and uptake of fair trade foods, both at local authority level and in shops and businesses in the community. What’s a fair trade town? “It’s a town with a social conscience. It’s a town that is willing to pay a little bit more for a cup of coffee or a bar of chocolate in order to make sure the people who picked the beans were treated well and paid a living wage.” |
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