Ten Thousand Villages has friendliest staff
06/18/08
BY MARK WEBER
Red Deer Express
Check out the colours, compelling scents and textures of fairly-traded, hand-crafted products from cultures world-wide during a stop at Ten Thousand Villages.
A friendly, helpful and knowledgeable staff of volunteers make it an even more enjoyable experience.
The store, located in Southpointe Common, took the top spot in the Friendliest Staff category for the Best of Red Deer awards.
Offering the exquisite talents of artisans from 30 developing countries, the local store opened last September.
Folks can in effect ‘travel the world’ with each visit to Ten Thousand Villages and learn how fair trade really makes a difference.
“We worked with the unemployed and the under-employed paying them a fair wage for the items they make,” said Khristie Looy, store manager.
These wages help ensure artisans and their families have the essentials they need including food, clothing, medicine and shelter.
“We’re providing them with sustainable work and a livelihood,” she explains.
It’s a mission that makes a profound difference. “So far since we’ve opened, we’ve been able to support 58 families.” Clearly, it takes an enthusiastic team to keep things moving at Ten Thousand Villages, and Looy is thrilled with the faithful support of 48 volunteer staff members.
“They all want to come and make a difference in people’s lives and we’re so thankful for that,” she said. “They come with great attitudes and they just want to serve.”
Each are asked to work at least two four-hour shifts per month.
“We’re big on customer service,” said Looy, adding staff provide special perks like gift wrapping as well.
“We want shoppers to have a great experience and also have them know they are impacting people’s lives world-wide.”
Ten Thousand Villages is the oldest and largest fair trade organization in North America through a network of 50 stores.
A non-profit program of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), the relief and development agency of Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches in North America, Ten Thousand Villages has its roots in the work launched by Edna Ruth Byler in 1946.
Deryl Comeau and Victor and Doris Doerksen spearheaded the establishment of the Red Deer store.
A board provides direction and 12 private investors initially provided funds to launch the outlet.
As Looy points out, contacts from humanitarian and church organizations within developing countries help Ten Thousand Villages connect with artisans struggling to make a living. Looy and her staff are also able to provide customers with detailed information about every item in the store – what country it’s from and stories about the actual artist who created it.
“It’s very cool, and a great educational tool as well,” she said. “We can print out all that information, which makes it even that much more personal.”
Looy is also thrilled with how shoppers have embraced the store since opening day last fall.
“It’s been great – it’s blown us away actually,” she said. “It’s been really well received.”
For more information, call Ten Thousand Villages in Red Deer at 341-0178 or visit www.tenthousandvillages.ca.
mweber@reddeer.greatwest.ca 309-5459
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