Happy NewYear

"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day."
~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

2010 a year of Blessings and 2011 a year of Opportunities.

I sometimes don’t really like traditional New Years celebrations. Maybe it’s all those New Years Resolutions or the ‘Norman Rockwell’ image of the holidays that I seldom seem to live up to. My listings of accomplishments at the end of the year, is frequently shorter than the goals I’ve written for myself twelve months earlier. Over the years, I’ve taken to practice self-forgiveness and trying to be easier on myself. Still a work in progress, quite honestly.

However, I am very proud of the accomplishments at The Mission Marketplace. This past year, we:

· Continued to experience different cultures through our monthly International Book Club, in partnership with the McKune Memorial Library,

· February Chocolate Extravaganza, Fair Trade Chocolate Making demonstration and our second Fair Trade Trunk Show and free Chair Massages,

· Participated in the Sounds & Sights Festival and were blessed by performances by Chelsea’s own Soft Serve Symphony,

· Sounds and Sights Festival Weekend and our third Fair Trade Trunk Show and offering Henna Tattoos,

· Attended numerous off-site Sales including the Ann Arbor Alternative Christmas, Plymouth GreenFest and the Presbyterian Covenant Gathering,

· Gave numerous talks about Fair Trade to the Senior Center, Rotary and the Eastern Michigan Graduate Business School Young Entrepreneurs’ Program,

· Participating in the Planning of the community’s ‘Differences without Divisions’, Islam in America programming, and providing space for movies/discussions for CANOPAS (local Peace Advocacy group),

· Offered ‘The Bittersweet World of Chocolate’ class to the Adult Learner’s Institute,

· Began ‘social-marketing’ thru FaceBook, Blogging and the local Chelsea Hotels media outlets,

· Participated in our annual ‘Wine, Women & Shopping Event’, free Chocolate and Chair Massages,

· Offered support to the Seventh Grade Middle East Bazaar,

· Supported youth in ‘Reverse Trick or Treating’ at local Senior Centers,

· Wrote 4-part series for Fair Trade Month on the ‘Faces of Fair Trade’,

· Supported the Hometown Holidays with a Chelsea Employee discount and ‘Bag-it’ promotion as well as a lovely – lit elf passing out light sticks and walking in the Light Parade, as well as donating 10% of sales to Faith in Action (local food bank),

· Had the opportunity to be profiled on Michigan Magazine and the Lucy Anne Lance radio programs,

· Presentation about Fair Trade at the US Social Forum in Detroit,

· Attended the Fair Trade Futures Conference in Boston,

· Helped in the formation of the Fair Trade Independent Stores (FTIS) organization designed to foster communication/support and mentorship to other independent Fair Trade Stores.

As I peruse this list, I’m honored by the opportunities this business has afforded me and inspired by the encouragement/support and love that you offer The Mission Marketplace. We are so proud to be a part of this community and plan to be here throughout 2011 and beyond.

Blessings to you and yours,

Kevin Frahm
Executive Director