Art and Design Market
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Tantalizing treasures from the Art and Design Market
Shop for the unexpected at our first Art and Design Market, March 9 from 10 am to 4 pm, Southminster-Steinhauer United Church, 10740-19 Avenue, Edmonton.
Donate Aeroplan miles this week!
DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT! From Feb 11-17, Aeroplan will match Miles donated to the SLF, up to 500,000!
Aeroplan Mile Matching Week is HERE, and it’s such a special opportunity to make your Miles most meaningful!
SHARE THE LOVE! Send this link to everyone you know with Aeroplan Miles: stephenlewisfoundation.org/aeroplan
Update regarding donations for the Fabric Frenzy
Important information about DROP-OFF OF DONATIONS
The current LRT construction work being done on 95th Avenue makes it impossible to turn north onto 86th Street to reach the church back door.
But we are definitely there at the posted times and grateful for material being delivered.
There are three alternative ways to approach:
A) going west on 95th Av turn right at 87th Street and make an immediate right into the alley, proceed east and arrive at the church back door
B) similar, a bit further but avoids the alley, proceed further north on 87th St, turn right on Strathearn Drive, go one block east, turn right and proceed south on 86th St to arrive at the church
C) when travelling south on 85th St from the 98th Av traffic circle, take the immediate first right onto Strathearn Drive entrance, then first left onto 87th Street and proceed south to the church.
We are determined not to be thwarted by the construction disruption and heartily thank you for continuing to support us.
Please feel free to contact the numbers listed for further information.
We will post updates if and when necessary.
GANG featured in PrimeTime Article
https://www.edmontonprimetimes.com/article/gang-of-grandmas-up-to-nothing-but-good-20190130
Have you looked in Grandmother’s Cupboard?
March, 2019 marks the two year anniversary of Grandmother’s Cupboard, a co-operative venture between GANG and the Old Strathcona Antique Mall. During that time we have found new homes for a range of well loved family treasures: a child’s sled. A foot stool covered in needle point. A hand carved wooden troll from Norway. Tea sets and tea wagons. An RCA radio in a walnut case. Embroidered linens from Hungary. Depression glass. Wedge wood. Lustre ware. We’ve sold scarves, costume jewelry, leather gloves, pearl buttons, wooden spools. Even a box of nylon stockings with seams.
We’ve relied heavily on Betty Reitan, owner of the Mall and herself a GANG member, as well as those on her staff as we’ve learned how to select, price and display these items, each of which has a story of its own. We may never know what that story is: who bought the stockings and saved them to wear for a special occasion that never came. What programs the owners of the radio listened to as they gathered around it with their family. The name of the child who raced down snowy winter hills on her sled. Their mystery is part of the attraction of the items we sell.
We have also relied on the generosity of our members in donating items or referring us to possible donors. Many thanks to them. If you have something you think would fit our eclectic collection, please contact Colleen Kennedy, colkennedy@shaw.ca or Dianne Linden, diannemlinden@gmail.com. In the meantime we invite you to drop by the Mall, 10323 78 Avenue in Edmonton and view our current collection. There may be something there for you.
Stephen Lewis: A Vote for Optimism in 2019
In this video, Stephen tells us he is feeling well and is cancer free! A very optimistic start to 2019.
Art and Design Market
We are excited to announce our newest venture…an Art and Design market, to be held March 9, 2019.
We are looking for donations of art and home decor items such as pottery, candle holders, vases, and ornaments.
If you have items to donate you can bring them to Redeemer Lutheran Church every Tuesday in January beginning January 8. Redeemer Lutheran Church is at 9654-74 Avenue. GANG members and volunteers will be at the church from 10 am to 2 pm.
Grandmother Flash Mobs
This fall grandmothers organized flash mobs in communities across Canada to raise awareness about the scale of the global AIDS pandemic, and the herculean role African grandmothers are playing in the response. The Grandmothers Flash Mob compilation video was released to mark World AIDS Day which is commemorated on December 1st .
To view the compilation video, visit: http://bit.ly/GrandmothersFlashMob2018
or watch on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SLFgrandmothers/
GANG donates handmade items
GANG members donated handmade items to Global TV’s Give Me Shelter project this week.
All donations are shared with women’s shelters.
Thanks Global TV Edmonton for your community support!
Delightful treasures in Grandmother’s Cupboard
Have you visited Grandmother’s Cupboard? You’ll find it at the Old Strathcona Antique Mall.
Visit to discover what’s new in the Cupboard!
Fabulous Fabric Frenzy 2019
Thanks to everyone who has donated new, unused fabrics and notions for our next sale.
If you have items to donate, please contact Phyllis (780)469-6327, Judy (780)434-0036 or Ev (780)434-0825 to make arrangements for drop offs and pick ups. We value our partnership with Strathearn United Church; please do not leave donations at the church, except with one of our members.
Please share this information with any and all of your friends and acquaintances who may be downsizing or clearing out their house.
Fabric Frenzy 2019 will be held on Saturday, April 27, 2019. More details will be posted closer to the date.
Working together we achieve a number of objectives: raising funds for a worthy cause, recycling, keeping things out of the landfill, and providing fabric at reasonable cost to sewers and crafters.
Effective Thursday, January 3, 2019, the GANG will be holding weekly folding sessions of donated fabric from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm at Strathearn United Church, 8510-95 Avenue.
Donations will be accepted on Thursdays, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm from January 3 until April 11, 2019. Please bring donations to the alley door and ring the buzzer.
To make sure we can use your donation, please check that it fits with the list below.
Preferred donations
- Unused fabric, 1/2 meter or longer
- Thread
- Sewing notions, zippers, hooks, buttons etc.
- Embellishments, ribbons, beads etc.
- Yarn
- Knitting needles
- Crochet hooks
- Unfinished quilting projects
- Boxes of quilting squares
- Batting
- Upholstery/designer fabric
No-no’s
- Mouldy or stained fabric
- Smoky fabric
- Bed or table linens
- Patterns and books
- No unfinished sewing projects i.e. clothing
Shakers and Makers Market a success!
Thank you to all of the volunteers, Southminster-Steinhauer United Church, Global Edmonton, and of course to all of the shoppers who helped to make the day a success. Wonderful crafts, art work, fantastic baking and delicious snacks and lunch!
Scrabble at WP Wagner Leadership Conference
SCRABBLE AT W. P. WAGNER
On Thursday September 27, 12 GANG members went to W. P. Wagner High School to play Scrabble with high school students from across Canada who were in Edmonton to attend a leadership conference. To quote one of the participants: “It was a wonderful heart-warming afternoon playing Scrabble with energetic and enthusiastic groups of young people”. Thank you to Vicki Strang and Ricki Romito for organizing this event, and to the other 10 members who attended. The next day Vicki and Ricki also went to McNally High School and gave 4 presentations on The GANG to students there. A very busy week for them both.
Grandmothers Gathering a great success!
THE NORTHERN ALBERTA GROUPS GATHERING
Saturday, September 29 was a great day of connecting, learning, eating, laughing and shopping. Over 70 of us gathered to attend a variety of sessions. There were grandmothers/others from Eastside Grannies, Grateful Grannies, Hands Across the Sea, Rayanna’s Hope for Africa, Ujamaa Grandmas, and of course The GANG. The day began with a talk by Zodwa Ndlovu, an African grandmother who lost both of her children to AIDS and is herself HIV positive. Zodwa founded Siyaphambili HIV and AIDS Support group. Her talk was both heart wrenching and hopeful. There were a number of sessions offered throughout the day and then the conference closed with a keynote by the journalist Paula Simons talking about The Power of Stories. Paula began by telling us about her two grandmothers who were immigrants to this country. Her talk was both serious and funny and was a great way to end such an enlightening day. A big thank you to Eastside Grannies, Rayanna’s Hope, and to those members from The GANG (Wendy Legaarden, Joyce Madsen, Susan Bell, Lois Gluck) who organized the day. And also to the Grateful Grannies who supplied all the snacks. This day reaffirmed our resolve to work on as we stand in solidarity with our African sisters.
GANG donated fabric to northern communities
From Rita John, Society of Vincent de Paul:
Good Day,
This might be of interest to you…..
The sea can from St Albert arrived in Ulukhaktok a couple weeks ago. Following is a message from Emily Kudlak who is the SSVP North of 60 contact for the Anglican Women’s Auxiliary in Ulukhaktok. She thanked us for the fabric and yarn that arrived on the sea barge, in an email and by a facebook post with the attached photos. Thank-you to the Grannies for Africa, Stephen Lewis Foundation for supporting the North of 60 Project and donating a lot of fabric and yarn to the seven N of 60 communities. There is no doubt that many beautiful items will soon be sewn with the donation. Note, the gorgeous parkas that are sewn in the hamlet of Ulukhaktok.
The Shakers and Makers Market sneak preview!
Members and friends of The GANG have been busy creating handmade items for our first Market, Saturday October 20 at Southminster-Steinhauer United Church, 10740-19 Avenue, Edmonton.
Here are just a few of the items that will be available. We hope to see you there. All proceeds benefit the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign.
Mark the date for Fabric Frenzy 2019!
It’s official – our next Fabulous Fabric Frenzy will be held on April 27, 2019.
Watch this space for more details closer to the event.
Fabric Frenzy 2019 Donations
Thanks to everyone who has donated new, unused fabrics and notions for our next sale.
If you have items to donate, please contact Phyllis (780)469-6327, Judy (780)434-0036 or Ev (780)434-0825 to make arrangements for drop offs and pick ups. We value our partnership with Strathearn United Church; please do not leave donations at the church, except with one of our members.
Please share this information with any and all of your friends and acquaintances who may be downsizing or clearing out their house.
Fabric Frenzy 2019 will be held on Saturday, April 27, 2019. More details will be posted closer to the date.
Working together we achieve a number of objectives: raising funds for a worthy cause, recycling, keeping things out of the landfill, and providing fabric at reasonable cost to sewers and crafters.
To make sure we can use your donation, please check that it fits with the list below.
Preferred donations
- Unused fabric, 1/2 meter or longer
- Thread
- Sewing notions, zippers, hooks, buttons etc.
- Embellishments, ribbons, beads etc.
- Yarn
- Knitting needles
- Crochet hooks
- Unfinished quilting projects
- Boxes of quilting squares
- Batting
- Upholstery/designer fabric
No-no’s
- Mouldy or stained fabric
- Smoky fabric
- Bed or table linens
- Patterns and books
- No unfinished sewing projects i.e. clothing
Aeroplan Miles Matching Week Feb 5-11
Save the Date! Aeroplan Mile Matching Week is nearly here!
From February 5-11, double your donated miles. Spread the word!
Aeroplan is offering Stephen Lewis Foundation supporters an entire week to have every donated mile matched by Aeroplan. During Mile Matching Week, your contribution of miles will be doubled!* Thanks to your miles, more of every essential dollar donated to the SLF goes directly to community-based partner organizations in Africa.
From Feb 5 to 11, visit stephenlewisfoundation.org/aeroplan to donate miles and have Aeroplan match them. Your miles will go twice as far!
How have your miles helped? In November, the Foundation launched its book, Powered by Love: A Grandmothers’ Movement to End AIDS in Africa, and was able to bring 20 African grandmothers and staff of grassroots organizations – experts on community HIV&AIDS programmes – to 42 Canadian towns and cities. There’s no substitute for hearing about the urgent and powerful work to combat the ravages of AIDS in Africa directly from the grassroots experts and leaders themselves. Your contributions of miles help make this possible!
*Aeroplan will match every mile donated to the Stephen Lewis Foundation up to 500,000 miles.
Giving Tuesday is November 28
GivingTuesday is a global day of giving. After the sales of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, GivingTuesday is a time to celebrate and encourage activities that support charities and non profits. Whether it’s making a donation, volunteering time, helping a neighbour or spreading the word, GivingTuesday is a movement for everyone who wants to give something back.
“The Grandmothers Campaign is a Canadian grassroots response to the emerging crisis faced by African grandmothers as they struggle to care for millions of children orphaned by AIDS. African grandmothers became parents anew in the midst of the HIV and AIDS epidemic, putting their grandchildren through school, creating support groups to manage grief, and delivering comfort and hope through home-based care. They teach others about HIV prevention and treatment, create local savings and loan groups, and sit on land-rights councils. African grandmothers are leaders, sharing their expertise in their communities and on the international stage, pressing for their human rights and a hopeful future”. (grandmotherscampaign.org)
Show your support for the Grandmothers Campaign. Visit grandmotherscampaign.org and click on the “Donate” button.
GANG members honoured for social justice work
Congratulations to Marilyn McSporran and Kay Douglas, two GANG members who are facilitating the Blanket Exercise to teach the history of Canada from an Indigenous perspective.
In May, Marilyn and Kay were presented with an award by the Sage Seniors Association of Greater Edmonton for their work in Social Justice & Peace.
Read more about the Blanket Exercise and Marilyn and Kay’s work here:
Grandmother Book Launch
Powered by Love: A Grandmothers’ Movement to End AIDS in Africa Paperback – October 10, 2017
By the time the AIDS pandemic in Africa had reached its height in the early 2000s, millions of children had been orphaned. In the face of overwhelming loss, the grandmothers of Africa stepped in to hold families and communities together. Author Joanna Henry and photographer Alexis MacDonald visited eight African countries, interviewing and photographing hundreds of grandmothers (including Sarah Obama, Barack Obama’s grandmother) who are reclaiming hope and resurrecting lives. The extraordinary images and stories of resourceful women fighting for a better future make Powered by Love an inspiration for everyone.
Writes journalist-social activist Michele Landsberg, “We thought we knew what was happening in Africa when the AIDS pandemic raged across the continent, sweeping away 35 million lives. But we never knew it the way this book reveals it, in the shockingly intimate voices of the grandmothers who had to save the abandoned children when no one else was left alive. These voices will leap straight into your heart. Their unguarded faces, in portraits that glow with character, pain and humour, will captivate you.”
In 2006, the Stephen Lewis Foundation launched a campaign to engage Canadian grandmothers to support their African sisters. The Grandmothers Campaign, now a movement 10,000 strong, has raised over $25 million that has gone directly into the hands of African grandmothers and their grassroots organizations. Powered by Love joins this campaign by telling the story of these indomitable women and by directing all royalties from the sale of the book to African grandmothers raising children orphaned by AIDS.
www.grandmotherspoweredbylove.com
Join us for the Edmonton Book Launch, Sunday October 15, 2 – 4 pm at Southminster-Steinhauer United Church, 10740-19 Avenue, Edmonton.
Bring a friend, enjoy refreshments and shop at the marketplace!
GANG Fabric Frenzy featured in Edmonton Journal
‘Granny gang’ aims to sell more than $20,000 in fabric during upcoming sale
In a church basement in southeast Edmonton, dozens of grandmothers fold fabric, sort scarves and untangle yarn.
But this is no knitting circle — the group has raised more than $1 million for charity over the last decade. An upcoming fabric sale on April 22 is estimated to bring in more than $20,000.
“We’re a granny gang,” said Louise Barr, spokeswoman for Grandmothers of Alberta for a New Generation (GANG). “We’re a very creative bunch of women.”
Proceeds from the sale will go to the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign run by the Stephen Lewis Foundation. The funds are distributed to community-based groups in sub-Saharan Africa that support grandmothers who are charged with supporting young children affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
“There are now 240 grandmother groups across Canada who are doing what we’re doing, raising funds and awareness for these African grandmothers. As Stephen Lewis would say, they are the unsung heroes,” Barr said, noting that in 2010 she travelled to Swaziland with the project. “(What we raise) is only a drop in the bucket as to what these grandmothers in Africa need.”
The Edmonton group is comprised of women seniors — the oldest member is 95. “We’re not just grandmothers, but also grand-others, because there are lots of women in our group who don’t have children,” Barr said.
The fabric sale, now in its fifth year, has taken months of preparation. The group spends four hours per week sorting through fabric donations.
“It is a frenzy,” Barr said. “We will have 500 people who come through the door.”
The event will also include the sale of silk scarves, which the group began making from donated fabric two years ago. Scarf sales have brought in $25,000.
“We’ve done a cookbook that has been very successful, we’ve done fashion shows,” Barr said.
On April 22, most fabrics will be sold for one dollar per metre. Quilting fabric will cost five dollars per metre.
“To buy (quilting) fabric in a store, you’re looking at $20 a metre,” said Ev Carter, a member of GANG. “I make quilts for gifts … the sale offers really good buys.”
She said she’s looking for something special this year.
“Sometimes you just see a piece of fabric that inspires you and you’ll build off of that.”
The fabric sale will take place at Strathearn United Church at 8510 95 Ave. on April 22 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Grandmother’s Cupboard is now open!
Thanks to the generosity of the Old Strathcona Antique Mall, the GANG has a new venue. It’s called Grandmother’s Cupboard, and unlike Mother Hubbard’s which she was never able to fill, ours is bursting with antiques, collectibles and curios. We invite everyone to drop by the mall, 10323 78th Ave., and look at what we have to offer.
If you have something suitable for this venue and would like to donate it, please contact Colleen, colkennedy@shaw.ca or Dianne, diannemlinden@gmail.com.
