history
Christmas Market with a Difference came to be in 1987 through the work of the Outreach Board of the Church of Christ at Dartmouth College. The idea, as proposed by Jean Sibley, was to provide a market to sell sweaters for the three knitting co-ops; one from New Hampshire, one from Korea, and one from Nepal – all three being self-help groups in economically depressed regions. The Market was to be a service to these groups and not a fundraiser for the church. It was decided to include Heifer International and SERRV in the first Market. With only three months to prepare, and with the help of many willing hands under the leadership of Jean Sibley and Associate Pastor Margot Pickett, the 1987 Market was a rousing success, raising almost $7,000 for knitters, $2800 for SERRV, and $750 for Heifer International.
Beginning in 1988 and continuing for the next four years under the leadership of Susan Barton, the Market was expanded to include Koinonia Partners, Cadagren Co-op, Mabel Roberts toys, and a book sale. In 1989, Pueblo to People and Upper Valley Hospice were added. Each year the roster of non-profit organizations were added and with each new chair, new ideas were implemented to fine tune our Market operation. In 2001, church volunteers donated soups to start the Soup Café. The Café provided soup lunches and lots of baked for shoppers to purchase. The proceeds from the Café were used for advertising the Market.
Each year, over 150 volunteers from our church work to make the Market a success covering over 300 different volunteer shifts. Over 1,000 people attended our Market last year and over $65,000 was raised and forwarded to the organizations represented.
Over the years, more than 40 organizations have been represented at our Market. Many of these groups represent women’s cooperatives that use their earnings to support themselves and their children, organizations that sponsor schools, orphanages, and group homes for the ill or abused, and organizations that promote conservation and sustainability. Hand-made items come to us from the far flung reaches of the world – Nepal, Zambia, India, Bolivia, and Haiti just to name a few – and we also support non-profit organizations from the United States, local and across the states.
Christmas Market with a Difference Chairs:
1987- Jean Sibley
1988-1991 Susan Barton
1992-1993 Marie Elise Young
1994-1996 Sally Foss
1997-1999 Joan Schaafsma
2000-2001 Joan Schaafsma and Jane Meador
2002 Jane Meador
2003 Jane Meador and Nancy Emslie
2004-2005 Nancy Emslie
2006-2008 Corinne Fortune
2009-2011 Sae-Im Smith
2012- 2014 Amy Tietjen Smith
2015- Sarah Nordstrom
Beginning in 1988 and continuing for the next four years under the leadership of Susan Barton, the Market was expanded to include Koinonia Partners, Cadagren Co-op, Mabel Roberts toys, and a book sale. In 1989, Pueblo to People and Upper Valley Hospice were added. Each year the roster of non-profit organizations were added and with each new chair, new ideas were implemented to fine tune our Market operation. In 2001, church volunteers donated soups to start the Soup Café. The Café provided soup lunches and lots of baked for shoppers to purchase. The proceeds from the Café were used for advertising the Market.
Each year, over 150 volunteers from our church work to make the Market a success covering over 300 different volunteer shifts. Over 1,000 people attended our Market last year and over $65,000 was raised and forwarded to the organizations represented.
Over the years, more than 40 organizations have been represented at our Market. Many of these groups represent women’s cooperatives that use their earnings to support themselves and their children, organizations that sponsor schools, orphanages, and group homes for the ill or abused, and organizations that promote conservation and sustainability. Hand-made items come to us from the far flung reaches of the world – Nepal, Zambia, India, Bolivia, and Haiti just to name a few – and we also support non-profit organizations from the United States, local and across the states.
Christmas Market with a Difference Chairs:
1987- Jean Sibley
1988-1991 Susan Barton
1992-1993 Marie Elise Young
1994-1996 Sally Foss
1997-1999 Joan Schaafsma
2000-2001 Joan Schaafsma and Jane Meador
2002 Jane Meador
2003 Jane Meador and Nancy Emslie
2004-2005 Nancy Emslie
2006-2008 Corinne Fortune
2009-2011 Sae-Im Smith
2012- 2014 Amy Tietjen Smith
2015- Sarah Nordstrom
