Ten Thousand Villages, fair trade retailer at 115 S. Main St., will participate in a nationwide campaign to plant 10,000 trees in our national forests.

The program, started April 14 and runs through May 1, will invite customers to donate $1 to plant a tree in a national forest through the Arbor Day Foundation.

Ten Thousand Villages in Bluffton hopes customers will partner to plant 150 trees on behalf of our community. Ten Thousand Villages corporate offices based in Akron, Pa., will donate 1,000 trees to kick-off the campaign.

Store Manager Peggy Brown said, “We are excited about this opportunity to partner with the Arbor Day Foundation to plant 10,000 trees because it allows us to make a positive impact on our environment.”

Brown continued, “As an organization, we are committed to environmental responsibility and sustainable sourcing of products. We also make a positive impact in the lives of artisans around the world every day. Every purchase at our store provides vital, fair income which allows artisans to provide food, clothing and education for their families.”

The campaign kicks off an in-store Earth Day Celebration Thursday, April 14 through Thursday, April 28 and connects to the international Earth Day theme of Trees for the Earth (#Trees4Earth).

Other events planned for the Earth Day Celebration include select items being 22% off April 14-28, in honor of the April 22 annual event celebrated worldwide.

As a fair trade retailer, Ten Thousand Villages is committed to sourcing products made with sustainable materials and methods.

The majority of the products customers will find at Ten Thousand Villages in Bluffton are produced in the most environmentally friendly way possible—by hand. Many artisans recycle materials such as newspaper, post-consumer magazines and glass to create innovative and functional products.

Ten Thousand Villages product line includes a wide range of items made with natural materials, from bamboo to water weeds.

Groups source renewable, natural materials to keep resources in balance. Artisans use local raw materials whenever possible, and many artisans use natural dyes. Several artisan partners also source sustainable wood, or "good wood," from farms that replant trees after they are harvested.

For more information about Ten Thousand Villages or the campaign to plant 10,000 trees, please contact Peggy Brown, store manager, at (419) 358-7233 or visit Facebook.com/BlufftonTenThousandVillages.  Ten Thousand Villages is open Mon-Fri 9-5, Sat 9-3.