| Alternative Giving Market set up to help out local nonprofits |
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| Written by Kelcie Moseley - Argonaut | ||||||
| Monday, 30 November 2009 | ||||||
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For the first time in Moscow’s history, shoppers can purchase gifts
downtown that will benefit local non-profit organizations through the
Alternative Giving Market. Daley-Laursen said she and Hill began organizing the event in September, and enlisted the help of Eric Newell, the parks and recreation supervisor of youth programs and aquatics for Moscow. Newell said he has helped set up the logistics of the event, such as tables and chairs, a sound system, credit card machines and the greeting cards customers will receive when they purchase gifts. “I live in Moscow, and it only makes sense to want to do something to help the community,” Newell said. “It’s just kind of one of those things where if you look at the benefits to it, it’s a really great program.” Daley-Laursen said students from Hill’s CORE Discovery class — Energy and Ethics in the 21st Century — called various non-profit organizations around Moscow and asked if they wanted to participate in the market. She said they were hoping for at least eight non-profit organizations to participate, and were overwhelmed when 46 organizations applied. “We looked at that number … and we had to make a really tough decision about the capacity of what would be a success, because we didn’t know what kind of crowd we would have,” Daley-Laursen said. “So we limited it to 20 and we did it on a first-come, first-serve basis.” Vandal Solutions, a marketing agency run by UI students, assisted Hill and Daley-Laursen in promoting the event and organizing student support. Mike McCollough, associate professor of marketing, advises the Vandal Solutions group. He said the market should be of interest to students who want to help their community, not only through the AGM, but through local for-profit businesses as well. “Most students go home to do their Christmas shopping,” McCollough said. “They go to the stores that they’re familiar with … or they go to the Internet, increasingly, and merchants in this town often do not get an opportunity to sell to our student population.” McCollough said Vandal Solutions offered their services to the AGM for free, and they have contributed to promotion of the event through alternative advertising, such as Facebook. The students will also be giving out free hot chocolate and candy canes to draw attention to the events. “We really would encourage students to get out there and take a look,” McCollough said. “Moscow is a great community, and one of the things that makes a great community is that we have great stores, great merchants and places to go.” Among the 20 organizations participating in the event are Alternatives to Violence on the Palouse, First Book, Palouse Habitat for Humanity and Sojourner’s Alliance. Each shopper will receive a list of possible gifts, and Daley-Laursen said they can choose which booths to buy from and the total will be added at the cash register. Gifts range from as little as $1 to as much as the shopper wishes to donate. Both Daley-Laursen and Newell said they would be satisfied with whatever success they have. “If we have people show up and give the non-profits money, then I’ll consider it a success, even if it’s only $5,” Newell said. Daley-Laursen said she does hope the market is enough of a success that it can be held next year as well, and said she hopes students will take advantage of the unique opportunity. “It’s a way to get affordable presents, it’s a way to learn about downtown if you’re a student because businesses are going to be trying to cater to you,” Daley-Laursen said.  Add as favorites (19) | Views: 463
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