December 17,  2009

The gathering was another of the Kinnakeet Civic Association's Really Really Free Markets, a monthly event that encourages everyone and anyone to drop off or pick up items ranging from kitchenware to coats, children’s toys to crafts. Attendees can even exchange services, lessons, ideas, or just conversations – anything is fair game, so long as money doesn’t change hands. This particular market featured holiday decorations and gently used toys, books, and other "gift-able" items for this holiday season.

In order to give attendees a dose of inspiration on what to bring, Jenn Auguston, president of the civic association, and her team decided to focus on specific types of items for each free market. 

“Anything can be brought and donated, but we found that a lot of people didn’t know what to bring, so we started having a monthly focus,” says Jenn. “November’s focus was a coat drive, and December’s was a holiday theme. The focus of the January market is going to be on craft supplies, like fabrics, yarn, beads -- any and all craft supplies are welcome.”

The free markets are scheduled for the first Saturday of  every month from 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at the firehouse. The next market will be held on Jan. 2.

At Saturday’s event, children of all ages were browsing through toys and making crafts under the supervision of attending adults at a central table. The firehouse’s Christmas decorations provided a festive backdrop, and one table that was covered with plastic bins filled with crafty goodies – the raw materials ideal for holiday décor – was especially popular with folks wanting to get a jump start on their decorating.

One particularly young boy quietly looked over a table filled with knick knacks, picked up a 1990s Nintendo Gameboy, and curiously looked it over, obviously confused.  Eventually he decides that it’s a good find, and runs over to show his friends his new acquisition. While all this is going on, another person is eyeing a bright red slow cooker that’s in excellent shape and is free for the taking. The shopper does a slow survey around the room, as if wondering, “Is it really OK for me to just take this and leave?”

This is standard stuff at the free market, and while it seems strange that people can just walk in, take whatever they want, and walk out, it’s exactly what the free market is for.

According to press releases, Really Really Free Markets can be found throughout the country, and are essentially a celebration of cooperation and gift-giving. They create open spaces in which status is generated by giving rather than owning, and in which giving and receiving happen directly.

As at other Really Really Free markets across the U.S. and around the world, the organizers, in this case the Kinnakeet Civic Association, aim to create and participate in a world in which resources are held in common, where folks come together to meet the needs of others in the community, and where "free" means just that - really, really free.

“We were happy that [at Saturday’s market] a lot more people than usual were there donating items, and even more were there to pick up items,” Jenn says. “One family picked up an artificial tree with all the trimmings, and all the leftover toys and decorations were split between Locomotion and Hotline.”

The event is not a "dumping ground" for people to get rid of things they don't want. Rather it is a space where people come together to provide for each other, inspire each other, and share together in the abundance of goods, skills, and creativity of the community.

“We’d love for the participation to go up, and if someone would like to donate items and can’t be there, call and we can arrange items to be picked up. We’re always thinking of new ways to increase participation, and make it a fun and easy event the whole community can enjoy.”

The Civic Association is reviewing the schedule for 2010, but Jenn assures that the free markets will be a go for every month, and everyone is welcome to attend and browse, socialize, and maybe even pick up an item or two. Just be sure to leave your wallet at home.

For more information call Jenn Augustson at 252-995-3855.

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