Fair Trade Fortnight concluded with a fair trade Mother's Day tea at Bean Brokers last Sunday.
More than 25 people showed up to taste what dishes Bean Brokers owner Connie Harder and her employees had made with fair trade ingredients.
Bean Brokers employees Mike and Emily Wilson entertained the participants by playing covers of well-known modern songs.
“Fair Trade Fortnight went very well this year. We had a lot of events,” said Bev Toews, Fair Trade Olds committee chair.
“There was a lot of participation just generally spread out throughout the events.”
She said that more businesses took the initiative to do their own events. For example, Health Street organized a raw chocolate class, while Natural Pantry held an open house.
Compared to last year, the fair trade movement keeps expanding in Olds.
“I think last year, we had 12 businesses selling fair trade and now we have 15,” said Toews.
“There are more organizations using fair trade coffee in their staff room.”
Moreover, Toews says that Fair Trade Olds is now being contacted to go speak at events, instead of having the committee look for speaking engagements itself.
“We are starting to be sought out now. So that's really exciting,” she said.
Toews has also learned during the fortnight that Town of Olds would place a fair trade town mention on its new town signs.
“I am not sure when the signs will be up. It's still in the process but we are in the process far enough now that they are telling us it's happening,” she said.
“I would say I expect to see them in the next few months. We will definitely have some kind of event to highlight that.”
The next Fair Trade Olds event will be having a table at the upcoming Summer Oldstice.
