Mark your calendars:
The Christmas Charity Bazaar will take place on Saturday 3 December!

‘Team Ireland’ at last year’s bazaar.

The 9th International Christmas Charity Bazaar (ICCB) will take place on Saturday, 3 December, 2011 at the Vilnius Town Hall (Rotuše) under the kind patronage of Mrs Alma Adamkiene. The Bazaar, organised by the International Women’s Association of Vilnius (IWAV) in cooperation with the international diplomatic and business communities and Lithuanian friends, has become the unofficial start to the Christmas season.

The 2010 event was attended by more than 5.000 visitors and raised nearly 300.000 Litas for beneficiaries, including: Kaunas Medical University Clinic, Vilnius Residential Home for Children and Youth, Ekklesia Charity Foundation, Vilnius University Children's Oncology Unit, Kijeliu Home for Severely Disabled Children (specialusis ugdymo centras), Alantos Nursing Home for the Elderly, Children-Youth Day Care Centre “Musu Namelai”, and the Training Centre for the Blind and Visually Impaired. More information is available from: www.iwavilnius.com/iccb.

All the organisers of the Christmas Bazaar are volunteers, who commit to the requirement that all money collected on the day of the Bazaar and related activities go directly to the beneficiaries. Sponsorships help to cover organisational costs; sponsors also have the option to fund the beneficiaries directly. The beneficiaries do not receive cash; the projects funded through the Christmas Bazaar are directly paid to the suppliers as per invoice. Potential beneficiaries for support this year are being evaluated presently and will be announced in October.

The attached description will present you with the opportunities to become involved in the Christmas Bazaar, a traditional event which becomes more successful each year in spite of challenges. We do hope that you will be able to join us in making a difference in the lives of the ill, less fortunate and disadvantaged.

If you have any question, please contact either Mercedes Sprouse, Co-Chair of the Organising Committee (e-mail: mercedes.sprouse@gmail.com; Mob.tel: +370.65568114), or Rima Ingstad, member of the organising committee responsible for sponsorship (e-mail: rima@svcentras.com ; Mob.tel: +370 687 73733).

Partnership and sponsorship opportunities

Sponsors participate in ICCB by invitation only under the following categories:

Benefactor:
A capital investment over 40.000 Lt which supports a particular beneficiary in substantive development and reconstruction. Benefactors receive highest priority in publicity.

VIP sponsor:
Principle investment over 5.000 Lt in materials, supplies, equipment, services and development of the event. VIP sponsors receive priority placement in publicity materials.

Contributors:
Sponsorship under this category may include cash donations of any kind, vouchers for goods or services for the Lottery, and facilities for organisation of the event.

Regarding the Lottery, Top Raffle Donors contribute prizes worth more than 1,000 Lt. The minimum contribution can be a combination of prizes however the total value must be no less than 200 Lt.

Information Partners:
Organisations which provide free advertising space and publicity in substantial quantity and length of time shall be recognised as a media sponsor, according to the value of the contribution.

Volunteers opportunities

About 50 key organisers work over six months to prepare the event. Another 200 volunteers become involved in the days before and during the Christmas Bazaar. Anyone interested in joining a particular country stand or contributing toward the overall organisation of the event is warmly welcome to contact the Chairs.