Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Balls on the Mall

Welcome to the first-ever Bocce Ball Tournament to benefit Arghand in Washington, DC!

We're in planning mode for the day-long festivities on July 26th -- a Bocce Ball tournament followed by a reception at a local bar tbd (suggestions welcome) to benefit Arghand, a cooperative in Kandahar, Afghanistan that is contributing to community and economic development in the region.

Arghand supports the licit local fruit market by producing natural skin-care products for export. Founded in 2005 by Sarah Chayes, former National Public Radio reporter, Arghand began with a simple and essential motivation: to wean the economy of Southern Afghanistan off the trade of the opium poppy and empower the people to better their communities and lives. With a membership comprised of men and women, young and old, Arghand is a true cooperative in which each member is empowered by involvement in the decision-making process and a stake in the assets. Today, Arghand is flourishing with products for sale in boutique retailers in the United States and Canada. Check out
http://www.arghand.org/ for more details.

On July 26th, we'll help them on their way to improving the lives of Afghanis by celebrating their accomplishments and gather for a day of Bocce on the Mall. Stay tuned for more details!