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From pinecone to home: Charity trade effort underway in Kelowna

A Kelowna woman is trying to trade until she gets a home to donate back to the community
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She started the journey by trading the pinecone for a copper bracelet and hopes to end with a house to donate to the community (Stephanie Horman/Submitted)

Got a house? Looking to trade?

A Kelowna woman is on a mission to trade a pinecone for a home in order to give vulnerable people a place to live.

On Jan. 4, Stephanie Horman picked up a pinecone and began her journey of trading up to find a home to donate back to the community.

Horman is currently on trade number six of her journey to find a house to donate. She recently swapped a surfboard valued at $500 for an antique vanity set that includes an ornately decorated tray, brush, handheld mirror and comb.

Before starting the project Horman asked herself, “what do people need the most right now?”

The answer that she found — affordable housing. She would prefer that the house was local but is willing to work out an arrangement with anyone across Canada.

She said if you have the privilege, platform and opportunity, you should use it to help others.

“When we come together as a community we are a lot stronger,” said Horman.

She started the journey by trading the pinecone for a copper bracelet, then swapped it for a big cozy pillow. She then exchanged the pillow for a massive plant, then found someone willing to take the plant in exchange for a jade turtle. For trade five she snagged a surfboard and for trade six, got the vanity set. She doesn’t know what the next trade will be but is excited for the future of the project.

This is not Horman’s first rodeo in the “trade economy.” She embarked on a similar mission in the past where she also started with a pinecone but limited the trading to a tight two week period. When the two weeks of fast and furious trading ended, Horman had acquired more than $10,000 worth of warm winter socks that were distributed to people in need.

She has plans for future trades in the works but would love to hear suggestions and offers of potential exchanges.

“I’m really open to everyone’s suggestions.”

To contact Horman email her at moderndaywonderland@gmail.com or message her on Instagram.



Jacqueline Gelineau

About the Author: Jacqueline Gelineau

I'm a reporter in the beginning stages of my career. I joined the team at Capital News in November 2021...
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