This journey towards encounter earth is one of risk, hope, craziness, frustration, intensity and passion. There are many more descriptors to be written, as these are just a beginning.

03/04
As early as 2003 there were thoughts beginning to form regarding a business based on being fair and seeking social justice in a seemingly unfair world that typically seeks profit at any price. During this time Paul and Corey Wegenast, originally from the west coast, were living in Calgary, Alberta. At the time Paul worked for a software company in business development and was also involved in charitable work. In Sept 2003 he heard a report on the local news radio station regarding how human trafficking had reached Calgary and its impact globally. That report began a dialog among several friends and soon became a focus of discovery and new relationships.

One of the new relationships began in May 2004 with a staff person of an NGO who worked with women caught in human trafficking. This NGO was working with women in Nepal and worked with an existing local organization in Katmandu that had developed a handicraft business. Paul consulted with the organization regarding creating avenues to market and distribute the products.

05
In the fall of 2005 Corey stepped into a volunteer position in sales and distribution for this NGO in their Calgary office. Paul assisted Corey in marketing as she distributed and sold the Nepali handicraft products at trade shows and university clubs across Canada. There was a lot of success that fall and that stirred up many personal conversations between Paul and Corey about how to take fairly made products into the mainstream of the retail marketplace.

06
In the midst of this journey Paul and Corey began taking steps towards moving their family to Canmore, Alberta, a small resort town in the Canadian Rockies next to Banff National Park. The mining community turned resort destination has a unique culture that values the environment, social justice, and the simplicity of living amongst nature. In June 2006 with this new backdrop Paul began to, in earnest, dream of a business that would make a difference and impact the lives of the working poor in third world countries. A key event that occurred in late 2006 was an encounter that Paul had with an old friend in the parking lot of the Canmore Safeway on a biting cold -38 degree night. Paul unexpectedly met Doris whom he had worked with back in the 90's in the Vancouver BC area. In the conversation Paul discovered that Doris worked for an NGO that funds the entrepreneurial poor in the third world through microfinancing. When Doris heard Paul's dream of a fair trade store she excitedly confirmed that the need was great! They met again just after Christmas to dialog more specifics of the necessity for a fair trade shop and the potential partnering down the path. With those conversations as a confirmation of the dream needing to be translated into reality Paul was stirred up to step out.

07
In 2007 the initial partnership for the business came together with a local Canmore couple who had international business experience in developed and developing nations. Paul was mentored through an intense one-year period that included three months of business plan development for a store concept called encounter earth. In the fall of 2007 a friend from Calgary also got involved as they were beginning the first stage of operations. The initial orders were placed without touching the product and a location yet secured! ...sensing a bit of risk and craziness right now?!

08
In late 2007/early 2008 a dramatic shift occurred within the encounter earth team... the change was quite quick but clearly the right move. Bernie & Marlene Willock from Vancouver Island stepped up and into the partnership with Paul & Corey whilst the other members realized that their roles in the development stage were completed. Bernie & Marlene had been on their own journey over the past four years towards wanting to establish a business that impacts the third world poor. They had been involved in retail business and development on the island for over twenty years.

As Bernie and Marlene joined in partnership with Paul & Corey decisions came quickly and an existing retail clothing store, Canoe, was purchased. Canoe is a shop that has been in Canmore for the past four years and has clothing lines such as Woolrich, Tsunami, Victorinox, and NYJD. Corey had been working part-time at Canoe through 2007 and had built a friendship with the owner.

On March 31 Paul & Corey were given the keys and on April 1 they began the journey of managing a retail shop on Main Street in Canmore. In the following six weeks the fairly made + organic product that had been ordered in the fall began to arrive at the shop. On May 9-10 encounter earth was officially launched in the back half of Canoe.

Throughout 2008 the big challenge was TRANSITION. The store carried both conventionally made clothes for an older crowd and fair + sustainable clothes for those a little younger. Often customers would come in a little confused and our response was that the shop is "bi-polar." In a sense moving from one end of the spectrum to the other was a little conflicted. It was not an easy journey as many of the original customers did not understand, and in many cases did not want to understand the need to change and be conscious of the source of how/where their clothes were manufactured. It was a significant time for our team to learn how to communicate the value of encounter earth but to also understand the need to have patience as there were those who were not very happy about the change. And there were times when we were rewarded with those who caught the encounter earth vision and encouraged us significantly giving us courage to push through... a big THANKS to the ones who spoke up!

09
In early 2009 the signs of complete change quickly arrived... literally. By late February original store name signs "Canoe" were taken down from exterior and the encounter earth signs were installed. The ee Spring 09 inventory began to arrive and there was a sense of anticipation that the dream was being fulfilled. In mod-March the shop was closed for renovations for 4 days. The walls were painted, new maple wood shelves added, a big canvas map of the world placed on the wall, and an incredible jean wall built.

Within days of reopening the store the average age of a customer dropped by 20-25 years... it was amazing to see the change and the new customers. Conversations about fairly made clothing has flowed more freely. There are some who still struggle to understand the values but we see it as an opportunity. It is very rewarding when customers come is and become very inspired as they see the clothing and the values behind them. Some conversations can go on for over an hour as people are very excited to see an encounter earth type of shop.

Throughout this year of 09 there have been definite challenges as our town of Canmore has been hit by the global economic downturn. As a smaller city of 12,000, that is a tourist destination, we count on the tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of visitors that pass through. This year we have experienced far lower numbers of visitors in the Bow Valley. Encounter Earth is successful but with the lower customer traffic makes it difficult to see the full potential.

As we came into the Fall of 2009 we had to make some tough decisions about the market and our costs to maintain the shop plus inventory. With great consideration the partnership made the decision to close the retail storefront in early 2010 after moving all our inventory and with integrity pay our suppliers and services.

10/11
In February 2010 we closed the doors of encounter earth on Main Street in Canmore. We had many customers share their disappoinment and we are sure there were many more regular visitors to Canmore who were surprised to find encounter earth no longer in the beautiful commercial space we had occupied.

Paul and Corey moved their family to Vancouver Island near their ee business partners Bernie and Marlene knowing that it was time to rest and wait for a better market and better opportunities for ee to re-emerge.

12
Some dialogue has started about timing of a re-launch of sorts. More to come as options are considered.

Please come back to this page from time to time as there will be updates as the story continues to be written...