Dean Cycon may not be someone you've heard about locally, but he is leading the way for Fair Traders in a socially responsible business internationally. Dean started his Fair Trade coffee company, "Deans Beans," in Orange, Massachusetts in 1993 and works with a dedicated office staff - no bells and whistles, just commitment and hard work. This year he was given the outstanding award, "Nobel Peace Prize for Business, which "recognizes creative business owners who make a difference in the world socially and economically ... and he was the only American chosen among 80 nominees from 50 countries." (www.recorder.com/home/7200113-95/deans-beans-founder) This is a person we, at the World Village Fair Trade Market, consider a real leader with far-reaching vision and inspiration. In the coming days you will begin to see Deans Beans appear on our shelves and we hope you will join with us to support his great work around the world by purchasing his coffee.
At the World Village Fair Trade Market this Summer, we have been spending our time evaluating the most effective ways to spread the good news of Fair Trade. In the past 10 years we have brought Fair Trade to churches, fairs, colleges and communities, but in the next 10 years we hope to expand our efforts to include college students on campus who will bring the message of Fair Trade further. Every year we join in with Earth Day events at Stony Brook University's Earthstock Festival, St. Joseph's Earth Day event in Patchogue as well as at Suffolk Community College's Sustainability Day. We also have been supported by the teachers from Southampton Intermediate School who offered a course to students about Fair Trade. Every year they end the school year with a Poetry Slam and we are invited to take part in it by giving a talk about our work followed by a sale of Fair Trade goods.
Promoting Fair Trade as a way of changing our world on Long Island is hard work. People are off and running in every direction. My Texas family reminds me how fast-paced we live in New York! But those who stop and browse the World Village Fair Trade Market have told us they appreciate what we are doing in Fair Trade. They understand the value of respecting people by paying a fair wage and they want to see justice and peace flourish in the world. They want our environment to be safeguarded and child labor to end. Fair Trade is doing many positive things everyday around the world and we are only one aspect of the process.
While you're driving around the Hamptons area, take a few minutes to come visit us at the World Village Fair Trade Market, just east of the movie theatre in Hampton Bays in the Hamlet Green complex. We're upstairs on the side closest to the theatre. Our hours are Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri & Sat from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. We're sure it will be an experience you will enjoy and while you're there, you'll feel connected to the world village!
