Bay Area Business Woman
Vol. 17 No. 2 DECEMBER 2008
A Season of Sharing Benovolent Gifts
By Kenya McCullum
We have all heard that it’s better
to give than to receive and most
of us know this is true.
Remember the look on your
loved one’s face when they
unwrapped the perfect present
that you put so much thought
and care into getting for them?
That look encapsulates the
joy of giving, but it doesn’t
have to end there. Many opportunities
exist to spread
this joy around the
Bay Area, during the holidays
and beyond, and give gifts
that keep on giving—both to
people we love and to people
we will never meet.
In today’s world where
many of us question how
much is enough, here are
some suggestions for ways to
give more than the traditional
holiday gifts – gifts that keep
on giving.
Trees for a Change
One fateful day, Kim Isley
looked around her home and
decided that she had way too
much stuff. In the materialistic
world in which we live, she
realized she didn’t need this
vast accumulation. And then
she thought about all the stuff
that her friends and family
owned and wondered if there
was a better way to express
your love and appreciation
for someone during special
occasions that didn’t involve
adding to the clutter already
in their homes collecting dust
bunnies.
It was this desire to decrease
clutter combined with
her interest in environmental
issues that began the wheels
turning. Isley desired to
start her own business, and
these were key issues that
framed the plan that resulted
in Trees for a Change (www.
treesforachange.com), an
organization that plants trees
as gifts to replenish national
forests that have been ravaged
by wildfires. Isley works with the U.S. National Forest Service,
which decides what location
the trees are needed most and
handles actually planting
them.
Trees for a Change has also
given Isley the opportunity to
express her creative side. Every
time a customer plants a
tree, Isley — who has enjoyed
making gifts for her loved
ones for many years — makes
a personalized certificate
and card representing the
purchase. This adds a unique
touch to the business and
people appreciate receiving
something so special that memorializes
the difference they
are making to the environment
by planting a tree.
“People feel really appreciative
of what I’m doing, which is really so touching because I feel so
strongly about the trees,” she said. “I
would say that this is their opportunity
to give a really meaningful gift and
at the same time make an important,
positive impact on the planet.”
For more information or to do some
holiday shopping, visit their website at
www.treesforachange.com.
