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Waterioo thrift store hosts coffee party to spread word on fair trade local thrift shop is A‘l;olding a coffee party n Dec. 5 to help spread the word about fair trade. Waterloo Generations thrift shop stocks six blends of fairâ€"trade coffee from sevâ€" eral countries, including Guatemala, Mexico and Tanzania. And it wants to raise awareness about fair trade â€" which pays farmers in developing countries a fair price for their work. "Basically what fair trade has done is taken out the middleman," said Patty Ollies, the Ontario thrift shop coâ€"ordinator for the Mennonite Central Comâ€" mittee. "We have a choice with how we spend our money. So if our buying power can send a message that is supâ€" portive of people‘s liveliâ€" hoods, then let‘s use our buying power to create The store‘s assistant manager, Barbara Blain, enjoys a cup of fairâ€"trade coffee every day. "It‘s every bit as good as Timmy‘s," she said, adding it‘s rich and flavourful. Blain encourages people to come to the coffee event, which will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., browse around the store, try a few blends and, maybe, buy a bag of coffee, which costs $7.50. "It‘s every bit as good as Timmy‘s." "They could end up leavâ€" ing with some wonderful By Jennirer Ormston Chronicle Staff assistant manager Christmas treasures." Waterloo Generations, which opened about eight years ago, is owned by the Mennonite Central Comâ€" mittee. It stocks quality, used items â€" all of which have been donated. "We get wonderful donaâ€" tions of clothing, houseâ€" wares, books, furniture and craft items," Blain said. The 5,900 squareâ€"foot store is brimming with a myriad of merchandise, including mugs for 50 cents, women‘s pants for $5 and winter coats for $10. All prices vary. _ Waterloo Generations also stocks a wide selection of quality books. . o_ "This is the place to pick up your favourite authors," said Ollies. As well, it sells a variety of Christmas ornaments. "Every item is different in a thrift shop, so all of them are considered to be treasâ€" ures," Ollies said. "Come and find someâ€" thing that‘s unique and difâ€" ferent." Some of the items are brand new, and those sell for more. "We price things because we want them in the door, on the floor, out in 24 (hours)," said Blain. "We want things in and out." If the items are in need of some "tender loving care," volunteers try to mend them, she said. The shop tries to mainâ€" tain a high standard though, Ollies said. "It‘s not just Apart from the store‘s manager and assistant manâ€" ager, everyone who works there is a volunteer. And the Waterloo locaâ€" tion has about 50 to 60 dediâ€" cated volunteers, Blain said. They perform a variety of tasks, such as cash and stocking the shelves. _‘ "And we‘re always lookâ€" ing for more volunteers," BUSINESS Waterloo Generations thrift shop on Bridgeport Road East is having a fairâ€"trade coffee party on Dec. 5. Patty Ollies (left), the Ontario thrift shop coâ€"ordinator for the Mennonite Central Committee, and Barbara Blain, the store‘s assistant manager, encourage everyone to attend. Ollies said. Its clientele includes new immigrants to Canada, uniâ€" versity students and enviâ€" ronmentalists, among many others. "Thrift is for everyone. Whether it‘s somebody who needs the prices or someâ€" body who chooses to help the environment by buying second hand, thrift is for everyone," Ollies said. After operating costs are covered, all of the proceeds from the sales go to support CHRC MCC programs, both locally and internationally. â€" "Every purchase is a gift to the world," Ollies said, quoting one of the compaâ€" ny‘s tag lines. â€""The dollars raised do so much." In fact, the sale of a $2 Tâ€" shirt can feed a child in Sudan breakfast every day for one month. Blain proudly said the Waterloo store was the No. 1 MCC shop in Ontario last year, sending the most money to support the proâ€" The 56 MCC shops across Canada had a record earnâ€" ing year in 2005, raising $5.1 million. Most of MCC‘s work is international, but locally it works with new refugees, aboriginal groups and women who are leaving shelters. Internationally, they do mediumâ€" to longâ€"range relief work in 55 countries. For instance, it is sup porting a program in Nigeria that gives pigs to women to allow them to start up their own pigâ€"raising business. "We don‘t just hand out things. We help people to provide for themselves," Ollies said. Waterloo Generations, which is at 50 Bridgeport Rd. E., is open Mondays to Friâ€" days from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Discounts are offered on Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m. JENNIFER ORMSTON PHOTO