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With the Hallmark Card takeover of UNICEF cards, Berkeley’s United Nations Association Center that has carried the popular cards for almost half a century, is shutting its doors tomorrow (Saturday)—hopefully a temporary closure to change the center’s focus, says UNA volunteer Mary Lee Trampleasure. 

The center, tucked behind the University Avenue Andronico’s at 1403B Addison St., will be celebrating its 42 years in Berkeley Saturday with live Latin jazz, food and a sale of remaining UNICEF and fair-trade items from noon to 5 p.m. 

The ever-popular UNICEF cards and calendars never brought the center much money—the organization was able to keep about 10 percent of what it earned—but distributing them was critical in bringing people in the door, Trampleasure said. The store has also sold fair-trade gift items, flags and United Nations books. 

Hallmark Cards took over the creation and manufacture of UNICEF cards at the beginning of the year. Since June, the cards are distributed only to the 2,000 Hallmark Gold Crown stores and to Ikea and Pier 1.  

“UNICEF cards and gift items were without warning terminated in January 2006 by the U.S. Fund for UNICEF,” wrote Herb Behrstock, United Nations Association Eastbay Chapter president in the organization’s October-November newsletter. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF is UNICEF’s funding arm. UNICEF is a world-wide child advocacy organization, under the auspices of the United Nations. 

Following Saturday’s store closure, the association board of directors will regroup to determine how to keep its storefront operating part time; they are looking for an individual to volunteer as the center manager.  

The reformatted center would continue distributing United Nations and UNICEF literature, such as a study on the state of the world’s children, Trampleasure said. 

“We’re the community voice for the United Nations,” Trampleasure added, underscoring that now is a time, more than ever, that people need education about the United Nations. For example, many people do not know that the United States does not support U.N. treaties, such as the Kyoto treaty against global warming and the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child. 

Trampleasure said she supports the organization despite the widely-reported abuses by U.N. soldiers in Africa, Haiti and elsewhere. U.N. soldiers “are human beings—they need better controls,” she said. 

The local U.N. Association card, gift and information shop opened in 1964 at the old Shattuck Avenue Co-Op (now Andronico’s at Cedar Street and Shattuck Avenue) and moved three times before settling into its present headquarters in 2000. 

Wendy Miller, director of product marketing for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, said working with Hallmark is a “nice marriage. We couldn’t do it on our own.”  

Miller said she understands that the small U.N. Association outlets can’t come up with the approximately $30,000 it takes to buy the merchandise up front, which they formerly got on consignment. “It’s a different business model. There’s more risk involved,” she said. “The goal is to triple sales in five years.” 

The U.S. Fund gets 7 to 15 percent of the sales price of each item, she said, noting, however, that Pier I and Ikea turn over all profits to the Fund.  

The production of UNICEF cards is one more addition to the giant Hallmark Card business, which, in 2005 had net revenues of $4.2 billion and had more than half the U.S. market-share of the greeting-card industry. Hallmark’s subsidiaries include Binney & Smith (Crayolas and Silly Putty), the Kansas City Crown Center Redevelopment Corporation (an 85-acre commercial and residential complex), Crown Media Holdings (TV channels and film distribution), Dayspring Cards (“the leading creator of Christian personal expression products,” according to the Hallmark web site) and a half-dozen other corporations. 

The Eastbay UN Association is at www.unausaeastbay.org. The store can be reached at 849-1752. 

Photograph by Judith Scherr 

Mary Lee Trampleasure (right) and Sharon Braun staff the United Naitons Association Center store during its final days.