Alternative Christmas Fair in Pleasant Hill

Suggested caption: Jeanne Chappell Kingsbury discusses Heifer International projects to a donor at the last

Alternative Christmas Fair in Pleasant Hill.

Pleasant HillRamblings
Jean Clark
Chroniclecontributor
Lookingfor a gift for that hard-to-buy for person? Tired of giving toys that arediscarded after Christmas? Wantingto ensure that your money is well spent? Thereis a way to give a meaningful gift during the holidays while supportingworthyorganizations. The Alternative Christmas Fair is an opportunity to purchaseitems, memberships, or donate in thename of family and friends from 19organizations. The Justice and Mission Ministry of the Pleasant Hill CommunityChurch,United Church of Christ is again sponsoring the Fair on Saturday,November 18 from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. in thePleasant Hill Community House. Giftsof nonperishable foods will help stock the local food pantries. Please bringdiapers,shampoo & conditioner (non travel size), cleaning supplies, paperproducts, and laundry detergent for Avalon’s EmergencyShelter. SERRV and EqualExchange as well as other fair trade products will be for sale in the FairTrade Room of the PHCommunity Church building.
Duringthe Fair, people may donate to as many of the 17 non-profit organizations asthey wish. Shoppers can buyproducts that are fair traded helping supportself-help industries around the world. As all of the participating groupsarenon-profit, donations or memberships are tax deductible. Although theproducts in the Fair Trade Room are not taxdeductible, they will be TAX FREEfor this special event. New to the Fair this year are Alzheimer’s of Tennessee,the BackBay Mission of Biloxi, MS; Cumberland County Hospice, and OREPA (OakRidge Environmental Peace Alliance).Returning to the Fair are the EducationFund of SOCM (Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowerment), the PHCCCubaPartnership Fund supporting the B.G. Lavastida Center in Santiago de Cuba,Avalon Center, Pleasant Hill Boy ScoutTroop 170, Cumberland County Habitat,Cumberland County Foster/Adoptive Parent Association, Cumberland GoodSamaritans, The Grab thrift shop, Heifer International, Morgan Scott Project,PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians andGays), PH Historical Society of theCumberlands, and VORP Community Mediation Center. Each group decorates its ownarea, provides gift cards, brochures, and other materials.
Coffee shops will be available forpeople to enjoy drinks and goodies, while visiting with each other inboth theCommunity House and Boyce Hall of PH Community Church building. You will beprovided with aclipboard and a sheet listing all the organizations with spacefor the amount you donate or purchase. You makeout one check to the church andreceive a photocopy of your sheet for your records. As all of the groups are401c(3) your donations are tax deductible. The Fair Trade products, althoughmade by nonprofit cooperativesaround the world are not deductible.
ThePleasant Hill Community House is at 48 Church Drive across from the PleasantHill Post Office at the corner ofMain St. and Church Drive. The Pleasant HillCommunity Church is across the street at 67Church Drive. All membershipsand donations will go to the participatingorganizations. The PH Community Church, UCC has sponsored a Fair for fourteenyearsas an outreach mission. For information, call Don or Jean Clark at (931)277-5467 or .

This week in Pleasant Hill:

Tues,Nov 14, 6 pm, Pleasant Hill Town Council meeting at PHTown Hall, 351 E. Main St., PH 277-3813.

Wed,Nov 15, 1:30 pm, Annie Crabtree on piano for Wharton elders’ sing-a-long at MunsonHome #2.

Wed, Nov 15, 5:00 pmDocumentaries: “Food: Delicious Science”, part 2: “A Matter of Taste” and Part3, “We AreWhat We Eat” in Room 4, PH Community Church, UCC Main Street &Church Drive in Pleasant Hill.

Wednesdays,6 pm, Bible Study & Prayer followed by choir rehearsal at the PleasantHill Baptist Mission at 39Browntown Rd near Main St.

Thurs, 2 – 4 pm; Sat, 10am – 12 Noon, Recycling at PH Town Hall, 351 E. Main St., 931-277-3813.

Thurs,Nov 16, 2 pm in Wharton Munson (2) Home, Dicksie Schmitt playing violin. Publicinvited.

Fri, Nov 17, Easy Hike on a 3.6 mile loop on the Oscar Blevins Farm, Big South Fork, Jamestown. Park Ranger Guide of historical sites on way. Meetat 9 am in the Aquatic Center parking lot on West Lake R. to carpool to theFarm.

Fri, Nov 17, 3 pm, Lake House #3 WhartonHomes, Memory Care Choir directed by Annie Crabtree (ofPlayhouse fame), accompanied by Tom Martin on percussion and Richard Buxbaum on clarinet.

Sun, Nov 19, 3 pm, “EmiKagawa in Concert” pianist in PH Community Church sanctuary. Free and open tothepublic. NOT TO BE MISSED.

Tues,Nov 21, 10 am - 4 pm, The Grab Thrift Store: “two for one” sale, 9547 Hwy70 W. Call 287-3018. NOTE:The Grab does not have a publicbathroom. REMINDER: when schools are closed forinclement weather, theGrab will be closed also.