Church hosts annual global gift fair

SOLANA BEACH — This Christmas, Solana Beach Presbyterian Church will help give gifts that benefit people worldwide.
For the 24th year, the Alternative Christmas Market will be held at Solana Beach Presbyterian Church, 120 Stevens Ave., where shoppers can purchase help for local families in need, buy school books, uniforms and leg braces for disabled children in the Congo; donate to the pediatric AIDS ward at a Kenya hospital; provide goats for farming in the Philippines or daycare for China’s abandoned elderly. This year, smaller market events will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 5:45 to 7 p.m. Nov. 30, Dec. 6 and Dec. 13, in the church’s Debin Hall, on the church campus.
Buyers receive certificates with descriptions of their purchases that are suitable for gift-wrapping.
“It’s wonderful to see hundreds turn out for the true meaning of Christmas — helping those in need,” said SBPC Outreach Pastor Tom Theriault. “And there are several items that help local Marine Corps families, foster kids, and homeless families.”
Last year, the market provided a week’s groceries for 250 Marine families at Camp Pendleton and fund scholarships for Hispanic students to attend summer school at UCSD. At this year’s Market, there will be more than 75 different “gifts” ranging in price from $5 for nails to build homes in Tijuana to a $3,500 college scholarship. High quality hand-made crafts will also be sold with the proceeds supplementing incomes of struggling artisans around the globe.
Free parking is provided. For more information call (858) 509-2580 or visit www.solanapres.org.