THE ULTIMATE FUNDRAISER

Welcome to the Souvenir shop with a purpose. Costa Rican Resource set up a souvenir shop for students to help offer jobs in a rura l community, raise money for their trip, and learn the importance of recycling. Fressy's souvenir shop was an idea on a teacher trip by Emily McAllen from Maryland. Emily lived in the village of Sitio de Mata and experienced having Fressy as her homestay mother during her stay. Fressy as usual wanted to show off the her handy arts crafts showing Emily all the different things she makes from recycled products from cereal boxes, egg cartons, paper towel rolls, old coffee bags and much more.

After seeing all her products Emily had the idea of starting an online store for Fressy and using potential student groups to sell the products as a fund raiser for their trip. With this idea and the help of a group of 11 different ladies from the village of Sitio de Mata we now offer this online store as an option for your students to raise some money for their trip and also a rural village.  The village of Sitio de Mata is where many of our homestay projects are and the idea to offer students who will traveling with Costa Rican Resource on a student trip the chance to fund raise by selling souvenirs from the village has nothing but a positive impact on both ends. 

The way we have this shop set up is that with all the schools that have interest in doing a student trip with us we send you brochures that each student can have. On the brochure is a list of items and pictures of some of the souvenirs to buy. The idea is not to open the next Wal-Mart here. It does not matter if your students sell one or just two items.  The purpose is to develop a relationship with the community you will be visiting and to offer a substantial boost in income in a rural community of Costa Rica.  People back home can support the trip and a local village and receive a well made souvenir. Also in the souvenir shop are local paintings from vilage of Sitio de Mata.

We hope you enjoy our shop and make the investment into an educational trip and rural Costa Rica. Thanks for the help and PURA VIDA!!!!!!!!!!