Come shop for a cause

As I've mentioned on occasion in the past, I work at the greatest little store in the world.  No, really, I took a poll.  Granted, it was an informal poll and I only asked six people, but still.


In case you needed further proof of how awesome the store is, though, we're going to be holding community shopping events throughout the coming year to benefit various charities.  And because I happen to be the store's social media guru (yes, that IS part of my job description, right along with MacGyver and resident storyteller), I will be sharing the details of these CSEs with you, my loyal blog readers.


Our first such event will be taking place on Thursday, March 8th, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.  This shopping extravaganza will benefit an organization called Touching Lives Ministry; one of our volunteers, the indefatigable Wendi, works with them and helped put this together.  TLM is currently working to establish a 120-bed hospital in Kenya, the Sanjweru Medical Center, and this is the project that my store is supporting with the shopping event.


Here's how it works.  We'll be open our regular business hours.  However, between 4 and 8 in the evening, every purchase made in our store will benefit the hospital initiative.  Ten Thousand Villages will donate 15% of all the money we make in that four-hour stretch to TLM.  Their current need is a supply of safe, clean water at the site, so our donation will help to pay for a borehole that will provide the water to both the Sanjweru Medical Center and the people who live in the surrounding community.  Cool, right?


To sweeten the deal, we've partnered with a local restaurant, Alando Kenyan Cuisine, who will be providing authentic Kenyan refreshments during the shopping event.  You'll get to enjoy things like peanut soup and Kenyan chai, and a couple of other things whose names I can't remember off the top of my head.  But it'll all be good.


Just to clarify, this is only at the Lehigh Valley location for Ten Thousand Villages.  So if you're within driving distance of the region, and want to help, please try to come out - and if you're not, please share this information with anyone you know who is.  This page contains our address and phone number, and some basic directions to the store.


I hope to see some of you there!


Edited to add:  Update!  This event is not only at the Lehigh Valley location.  I have since learned that our sister store at the King of Prussia Mall will also be participating in this fundraiser, with the same contribution level and also the same Kenyan cuisine available to its customers.  So if you happen to be in that vicinity, give them a visit!