Reverse Trick or Treat - A Fair Trade Halloween

A neat Fair Trade effort -- combined with Trick or Treat for UNICEF and you've got a great community service project!
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This Year it's Time to Reverse Trick-or-Treat!

On Halloween night, young people across the US and Canada will unite to:

END poverty among cocoa farmers

END abusive child labor in the cocoa industry

PROMOTE Fair Trade

PROTECT the environment

by giving Fair Trade chocolate back to adults…while Trick-or-Treating door-to-door in their communities on Halloween! Each piece of chocolate bears a card with information about social and environmental justice issues in the cocoa industry and how buying Fair Trade certified chocolate provides a solution. Parents of last year's youngest participants raved about how Reverse Trick-or-Treating transforms Halloween into a meaningful event when youth activists give back to their neighbors and to cocoa growing communities.

This year Americans for Informed Democracy is partnering with Global Exchange and others to increase our impact! Join us, and together, we will reach nearly a quarter million households this year!

Costumes optional…having fun while making a difference guaranteed!

Reverse Trick-or-Treating kits are FREE

Thanks to the generous donations of Fair Trade chocolate companies

Equal Exchange, Alter Eco, Theo Chocolates, and La Siembra (in Canada).

Participate as an individual or organize your classroom, school, congregation, youth group or social justice organization to participate by distributing multiple kits to participants!

DEADLINE TO REQUEST KITS:

Groups (schools, congregations, youth groups, etc): October 1

Individuals: October 13

Order yours TODAY! Last year, we ran out before the deadline, so hurry!

Visit www.reversetrickortreating.org for more information!

Willing to volunteer to be trailed by a print, radio, or television reporter while Reverse Trick-or-Treating? Send an email to Sarah@aidemocracy.org or fairtrade@globalexchange.org, with "RTT media volunteer" in the subject line.

Receive a very special prize! Post a photo or video of Reverse Trick-or-Treating at www.5actions.org and http://www.youtube.com/group/revtrickortreat08. Then, email fairtrade@globalexchange.org with your mailing address to let us know you did so by November 15! Our favorite 50 postings will receive a limited edition lapel pin designed by renowned artist Shepard Fairey's Studio Number One, thanks to the partnership between Global Exchange and Battle in Seattle (www.battleinseattlemovie.com), the feature film about the 1999 WTO Seattle protests…in theatres NOW!

Reverse Trick-or-Treating is an initiative of Global Exchange and is a collaborative effort of countless children, youth, and adults supported by nonprofit organizations including Americans for Informed Democracy, Green America (formerly Coop America), International Labor Rights Forum, Slow Food, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, United Students for Fair Trade, and many others.

Please forward this email broadly! The more the merrier! Let's spread the Fair Trade love!

Sincerely,


Sarah Frazer
Global Development Campaign Coordinator/CARE Fellow
Americans for Informed Democracy
701 Cathedral Street, Suite L3
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: 410-962-8773
Fax: 410-962-8771
Email: sarah@aidemocracy.org
www.aidemocracy.org

Awareness. Advocacy. Action.
Leaders of tomorrow creating change today.

Sanctuary

I have two homes. I'm not wealthy but my second home is filled with people that work very hard every day. They receive no pay and keep coming back for more. My second home caters to my every need, the people inside provided meals this summer, cared for my children and are my kids "other teachers" when I am not homeschooling. It is my church-Westminster Unitarian in East Greenwich, Rhode Island.

My husband and I found this little sanctuary going on three years ago. We made our first visit just as the new minister was settling in and unpacking her boxes. She pushed some boxes aside, reached for some toys for the kids to play with and she listened to our religious experiences and why we were now coming back to a church after a lifetime of not feeling like we fit in anywhere.

Rev. Barbara gave us the tour of the church and the sanctuary. The buildings are separated by a patch of lawn but joined in much love. The sanctuary reminds me of Noah's Ark. It sits on a large hill and when you approach it from the main road the Ark magically arises out of the rock. It is surrounded by a dry moat and huge boulders that are covered with seafoam-green lichen and the brick sidewalk that leads to the door is in a pattern to mimic waves. Inside the sanctuary, when it is very quiet, you can hear the leaves rustle outside and the rain spattering on the roof. The glass windows overlook the rock cliffs where it is thought Native Americans often had signal fires. It is one of the highest places in East Greenwich. Holy Ground perhaps. There is a magnetic energy to these rocks and many of us go there to meditate.

The church building has been well loved-I think it is mostly held together by love and a glue stick. The building has been patched and loved many times, much like my son's stuffed rabbit that provides him safety and comfort regardless of outward appearances. Plans are underway to someday build a new church building so that we can continue the wonderful work of so many hands at Westminster. That building will be filled with love too.

My children thrive here. Our family thrives here. Our hands are busy here and the work fills our hearts. Sunday RE classes are truly a part of our homeschooling. It is difficult at times for us to find curriculum that fits in with our UU beliefs. Recently, we started our own homeschooling group that is welcome to everyone. I wasn't sure how it was going to work with so many different homeschooling philosophies and religious beliefs. Amazingly, it's been great and has provided yet another sanctuary for us. The kids have all made new friends, I've met some great parents and we have newcomers attend almost every week. It has really provided an opportunity for our family to live our UU values. We welcome everyone, provide support to the new homeschoolers, do service projects and learn how to learn together.

As I sit in my office/classroom this morning, I am surrounded by things that remind me of my UU faith. Things that keep me inspired. There is a chalice on our work table, Tibetan prayer flags, a copy of our UU principles, a picture of the church sanctuary, my meditation CD, photos of my family, some Emerson writing as well as poetry that speaks to me, a crocheted cross that was my mom's, a birdnest, and a copy of the hymn-"A Prayer for This House". They are all things that surround me with love much like my spiritual home does. Maybe that's the key-to keep those things, places and people that mean the most to you, very close to your heart.

B-

UU Tube

I don't know how I've missed this one!

UU Planet TV

On UU PLANET TV you can find the best UU videos and television the web has to offer.

What a treat!

Enjoy,

Terri