Happy Holidays from Back Roads and Beaches

Oberlin’s Alternative Gift Fair and Market

Oberlin’s Santa Elena Project of Accompaniment (SEPA) seen here this past summer at the Oberlin Farmers’ Market, will be selling goods at the Alternative Gift Fair and Market.

from the Oberlin Heritage Center:

The second annual Oberlin Alternative Gift Fair and Market is presently underway: Monday through Friday, December 8-12, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., in the Bent Corridor of the Oberlin College Science Center, and Saturday, December 13 from 1-5:00 p.m. at the Oberlin Public Library (65 South Main Street). The Alternative Gift Fair offers holiday gift-buyers an alternative to buying “things” for those folks on their gift lists who don’t really need anything. Instead, these Alternative Gift Fair purchases give many times over – providing good feelings for both recipient and gift-giver, and a big help to local nonprofits working hard to stretch limited resources to serve the needs of others. Gift items for sale at the Market include fair trade coffee, tea and chocolates, handmade textiles from Guatemala and Morocco, crafts from India and Oberlin, and much more.

The Oberlin Heritage Center is participating with a booth that features the Oberlin Heritage Trail Buy-a-Brick project, Historic Playing Cards to benefit the Endowment Fund for History Education, and many items from the Museum Store, including an incredible array of hand-crafted jewelry by Oberlin Heritage Center trustee, Jean Simon. Overheard from a woman buying holiday jewelry for her daughters, “I love jewelry and wear many different styles and designs, yet I ALWAYS receive compliments whenever I wear Jean’s jewelry.” Jean Simon’s jewelry is one-of-a-kind, beautifully crafted, elegant and fun at the same time. Plan to stop by the Alternative Gift Fair and Market sometime this week, browse, buy, and most importantly contribute to some very worthy Oberlin organizations this holiday season. The Alternative Gift Fair is sponsored by the Office of the President of Oberlin College. Out-of-towners may do mail-order holiday shopping through December 15 by e-mailing members@oberlinheritage.org and requesting a copy of the Alternative Gift Fair Catalog.