Shopping for a good cause

Posted By COURTNEY WHALEN, THE PACKET AND TIMES

Posted 6 months ago

Washago resident Cathy Downham has discovered a way to shop 'til she drops without adding any more items to her own home.

Downham who, along with husband David, founded the not-for-profit aid agency Project Umbrella Burma (PUB) in 2003, shops knowing it will help the organization and its projects.

During the time the Downhams spend on the Thailand/Burma border working at the college and hostel PUB started to assist the persecuted Karen people and continuing their contributions to the Mae Tao Clinic, Cathy Downham makes time to attend a large Thai market.

There she buys unique, handmade items such as scarves, jewelry and trinkets that can be brought back to Canada and sold to raise money for their projects.

"David and I are allowed $700 (worth of items) to bring back and people that visit us can bring $700 (worth) back," Downham said yesterday.

Handwoven bags made in some of the nine refugee camps in Thailand that displaced Karen people have called home for upwards of 25 years, are also brought home to Canada to sell in support of PUB.

While the Downhams used to sell the Karen bags at speaking engagements in the early years of the organization, about four years ago, Washago resident and business owner Hilary Robinson offered to sell items from her store Hilary's Place.

"I just thought it was a good opportunity for local people to become more aware," Robinson said yesterday. "I'm happy to do it just to help out and make people aware that we have pretty cushy lives here."

In a dedicated spot in the store, beneath photos and information about PUB and its work, are shelves of jewelry, silk scarves in a variety of colours and styles and other items such as handmade keychains and change purses.

"There's a lot of detail in the work," said Downham, noting she can tell which refugee camp the Karen bags came from from the different dyes and patterns used.

The products have been embraced by local shoppers as well as others who come into Robinson's Muskoka Street store.

Often, along with their purchase, people take an information pamphlet about PUB, either for themselves or to include with the item they've purchased for a gift, Robinson said.

Yesterday, while looking for a particular piece of jewelry to illustrate the craftsmanship of the pieces, Downham was having trouble locating them.

"Oh, I just sold the last one today," Robinson told her.

All the money from sales of the items goes back into PUB's projects.

And the market is expanding. This summer, Gateway Fibreworks in Gravenhurst has also started selling the PUB products with great success.

"Phenomenally," said business owner Gail Stiver of the reception to the products. "Cathy's had to bring a couple of loads up."

Stiver got connected to Downham and Project Umbrella Burma after the architectural designer for her store asked if she might be interested in selling the PUB fundraisers.

Prior to that, Stiver had never heard of PUB. She agreed and met with Downham.

"It was Cathy who gave me the real introduction," she said.

Now, with some help from the educational material, Stiver can pass that information along to interested customers.

"The project is so significant," said Stiver.

In some cases, she said people have even donated to PUB without purchasing any of the items.

For more information on PUB and their projects, go to www.projectumbrellaburma.com.