Giving Back – Annette Piper

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

 – Winston Churchill

 

How much do you participate in your community or in your artistic field?  Not just in selling your wares and promoting yourself or your goods – but actively helping organizations that you are surrounded by?   

 

Is there an organization within your community that you admire for what they do?   Is there a professional organization that fosters new artisans/artists?  Is there a group that helped you in the past?

 

I live in a small rural community.   Every organization (and there are a LOT of them) fundraise to meet their expenses or to achieve their goals.   They are all run by volunteers.   I have found that I no longer have the time to sit on stalls all day, to spend a day baking, or to help organize a fundraising function. 

 

However I do have a product that people appreciate and want.  This makes it ideal for me to support these organizations by the donation of a piece of jewellery.  The jewellery is either raffled or auctioned – either way someone gets some lovely jewellery and the organization gets much needed funds!  

 

Of course, they don’t ALWAYS want jewellery, but three or four times a year  I will donate an item or two to organizations in my local town or the surrounding district.    And you know what, it feels GREAT!

 

How about supporting a local artisan group by giving lessons or talks to young people interested in getting into the artistic field?   Encourage their efforts and support their endeavours.  

 

Hopefully your generosity will inspire others to do the same.  And you will benefit by getting the satisfaction of strengthening and helping your community.

This coral, lava and silver necklace raised several hundred dollars for a neighbouring school.

 

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted”

– Aesop

 

To read more by Annette, see her blog, Under the Loupe and view her jewellery at www.annettepiper.com.