December 2007 Press Release

This holiday season, do your shopping in India, Nepal, Turkey, Brazil, Bali, Egypt, Haiti, Africa, Peru, Indonesia, and Thailand, without leaving Vermont. And get great gifts at wholesale prices.

The annual International Boutique begins Saturday, Dec. 8 and runs through to Saturday, Dec 15. We have over 75 beautiful Tibetan, Kashmiri, Jaipur and Kilim carpets (up to 9x12 in size), as well as fine silver jewelry, hand painted pottery, silk scarves, musical instruments, unusual toys, clothes for men, women and children, and unique stocking stuffers and ornaments from all over the world.. The Boutique is a benefit for Amurtel, all profits go to support projects for women and children here in Vermont and around the world. There isn’t a better way to shop for the holidays and feel so good about it.

This year we are having a food drive to benefit local food shelves. Bring a non-perishable food item with you and we will deliver it to food shelves in Waitsifeld, Duxbury and Waterbury.

The International Boutique will be open from 10am to 8pm on Saturday, 10 to 6pm on Sunday and noon to 6 weekdays. It will be held at the Masonic Lodge on Rte 100 in Waitsfield Village.

Call 496-5500 or 496-5029 for directions or more information. Internationalboutique.org

December 2007 Newsletter

Thank you for shopping at the annual International Boutique. This week-long event is sponsored by Amurtel, a non-profit women’s international relief organization. Amurtel works to improve the quality of life for poor and disadvantaged women and children in the United States and around the world, as well as assisting the victims of natural and man-made disasters. All of our staff are volunteers and work to empower those we serve, encouraging them to become leaders in their own communities.

The proceeds from this year’s Boutique will go to support a number of wonderful projects; a few are listed here.

• Vermont -The Washington County Battered Women’s Shelter and Services, Family Center of Washington County.
• Haiti- Medical clinic, reforestation project and school offering the only hope of an education to 375 children, in a country where 80% of the population is illiterate.
• Thailand : A home and school for children who have been abused and abandoned. A women’s weaving cooperative allowing single moms to support their children.
• Nicaragua - For the 60+ children attending this school the program means 2 meals a day they can count on and an environment free from abuse. A medical clinic outside of Managua.
• Ghana - Clean Water Project, rural medical clinics, women’s literacy programs.
• Peru - Sewing cooperative for deaf women, hot lunch program for children and women’s cooperative for those living in extreme poverty.
• Burkina Faso - Midwifery training program for village women living in the remote Sahel Desert.
• Kenya - Abha Light Foundation - a naturopathic college and clinic offering free care to Aids patients in the slums of Nairobi.
• India - Schools for impoverished children in rural India.
• The Amurt/el Disaster Relief Fund- providing immediate aid to those in need following natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, fires, etc.

By shopping here today you are making it possible for us to reach more people in ever more effective ways. If you are interested in helping Amurtel continue to help those in need, please visit our website: amurtel.org. All donations are tax-deductible.

Check out our new Boutique website: International Boutique.org

Thank you so much for your support and may you have a healthy and happy holiday season.