By Tom Flanigan
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-996241.mp3
Tallahassee, FL – Tallahassee holiday shoppers had lots of venues to choose from this weekend. Tom Flanigan reports one of the more busy shopping locations was at a local church.
This was the first of two weekends for the Alternative Christmas Market. It was held Saturday and Sunday at John Wesley United Methodist Church where John Davis with Heiffer International got it started back in 1987. It always happens the same weekend as the Tallahassee Museum's Market Days, but Davis says there's no real competition.
"Some people tell me, 'That's wonderful. I go to the fairgrounds, then I stop at John Wesley on the way back.'"
At the Alternative Christmas Market, John Wesley Pastor Armando Rodriguez say shoppers donate to charity on behalf of loved ones.
"There are so many agencies here and people are helping others that maybe they don't know. But when they hear the stories of the persons that are being helped, then people are moved to help those."
Anyone who missed this weekend's Alternative Christmas Market will have another chance next Friday evening and all day Saturday when the action moves to Christ Presbyterian on Bannerman Road.