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<div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> Great Holiday Market!</FONT></div>
<div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> Many thanks to those who worked so hard on it. </FONT></div>
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<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> </FONT><div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> While this wonderful event is still fresh in our minds, </FONT></div>
<div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> does anyone have a positive suggestion or two for </FONT></div>
<div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> making the market even better/easier next year?</FONT></div>
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<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> </FONT><div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> Here is one possibility ...</FONT></div>
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<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> </FONT><div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> Perhaps we could add an "Alternative Gifts" booth, which provides</FONT></div>
<div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> alternatives to buying more "stuff" for people on our holiday lists </FONT></div>
<div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> who already have everything they need. It works like this, you make </FONT></div>
<div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> a donation to a charity in support of a good or service in honor of </FONT></div>
<div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> family members and friends and you get a gift card insert describing </FONT></div>
<div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> the gift. </FONT></div>
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<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> </FONT><div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> Here are a few examples:</FONT></div>
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<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> </FONT><div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> $10 donation - Bike safety helmet for a needy child, </FONT></div>
<div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> $10 - PJs for one child in a homeless shelter,</FONT></div>
<div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> $22 - Nutritional supplements for 75 children for one month in Darfur,</FONT></div>
<div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> $35 - Breakfast for 24 homeless mothers and children.</FONT></div>
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<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> </FONT><div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> Alternative Gifts of Greater Washington, Inc (AGGW), an all-volunteer </FONT></div>
<div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> organization, helps organize such fairs, provides a list of qualifying </FONT></div>
<div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> charities, and processes the donations. (100 percent of donations </FONT></div>
<div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> go to the charities). <a href="http://www.aggw.org/">http://www.aggw.org/</a></FONT></div>
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<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> </FONT><div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> You can read about Hyattsvilles recent Alternative Gift fair here: </FONT></div>
<div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> <a href="http://hyattsville.wetpaint.com/page/Alternative+Gift+Fair">http://hyattsville.wetpaint.com/page/Alternative+Gift+Fair</a></FONT></div>
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<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> </FONT><div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> This is not meant to take anything away from the wonderful event</FONT></div>
<div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> we had this year! Thank you all again!</FONT></div>
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<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> </FONT><div><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=3> Rob</FONT></div>
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