What a great summer and fall it has been! Sailing, mountain biking, hiking, Fair Trade… Yes, who would have thought – promoting Fair Trade is not just important but fun! I get to work with a fantastic group of individuals as part of the Revelstoke Fair Trade Committee (including my husband, it doesn’t get better than that!).
I hope that many of you have heard about this exciting initiative by now. If not, check out earlier articles in The Revelstoke Current to read about this campaign. (You can find The Current’s earlier stories at these URLs: https://legacy.revelstokecurrent.com//2009/08/25/revelstoke-aiming-for-fair-trade-town-recognition, https://legacy.revelstokecurrent.com//2009/07/10/fair-trade-committee-seeks-city-backing and https://legacy.revelstokecurrent.com//2009/06/30/making-a-difference-around-the-world.)
To get Revelstoke recognized as a Fair Trade Town, like our neighbors Nakusp and Golden, our group has been working hard to meet some goals set by TransFair Canada, a non-profit group based in Ottawa. The first goal was to get the support of the Revelstoke Mayor and Council. They agreed to support this initiative and the City passed a Resolution in July to use Fair Trade Certified products – I hear there has even been some taste testing going on at City Hall!
Goal number two states that towns must have a certain number of stores and restaurants selling two or more Fair Trade Certified products. Revelstoke meets this requirement with the following businesses: Mountain Goodness Natural Foods, Cooper’s Foods, Pharmasave, PT Farm Market, Energy Matters Canada, The Modern Bake Shop and Jus Juiced Café.
We also have other businesses in town that sell a Fair Trade Certified product and/or Fair Trade items (different certification process): Southside Grocery, Mountain Meals, Chocolate Summit, Stoke Roasted Coffee, Werewolf Coffee, RMR Day Lodge, Talisman Fibre and Trading Company and Chantilly Kitchen Bed and Bath. If we have missed anyone please let us know.
Organizations using Fair Trade Certified products for events and staff rooms include The Canadian Avalanche Centre, United Church and Revelstoke Public Library. The folks at the Community Centre have also made a commitment to drink coffee with a conscience.
Another Fair Trade Town goal is to hold events promoting Fair Trade, so please come and join us for the documentary BLACK GOLD, a film about coffee and trade. We will show it at the Community Centre on Tuesday, October 13th at 7:00pm. Admission is free but come prepared to purchase goodies from Chocolate Summit. Who can resist their organic and Fair Trade chocolate?
BLACK GOLD – REVELSTOKE COMMUNITY CENTRE – OCTOBER 13th – 7-8:30pm
FREE ADMISSION
Thanks to The Revelstoke Current, Revelstoke Times Review, and Reved Quarterly for helping us get the word out.
For more information call Susan @ 250 837-6424
Susan Knight is a member of the Revelstoke Fair Trade Committee
