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Save the date: Nov. 4 & 5

Artisan Crafts for Africa
Royal City Gogos
A nuno felted shawl dubbed Lace and Leaves is one of the many items for sale at the Royal City Gogos' upcoming Artisans for Africa sale.

What's up?
The Royal City Gogos fifth annual Artisan Crafts for Africa, Nov. 4 and 5.

What’s happening?
The 55 members of the Royal City Gogos have been busy crafting since last November to prepare unique handcrafted items for this sale. Sister gogos from six groups in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island will be joining in on the action at the fifth annual Artisan Crafts for Africa sale.

What will I find at the sale?
Hundreds of items ranging from $5 to $350 will be for sale at this year’s events. Some notable items you’ll find this year include denim handbags, faux fur-trimmed hats, spa products, wooden bowties and nuno-felted scarves and shawls.
“This ain’t your granny’s craft sale,” says Janine Reid, co-chair of the Royal City Gogos. “The artisanal quality of our crafts is comparable to other juried craft sales in the Lower Mainland.”

Nuno-felted scarves and shawls?
Nuno felting is a magical fusion of wool roving and silk through applying warm, soapy water and agitating the yarn until it felts to the fabrics, explains Reid.

Where does the money that’s raised go?
All proceeds from the sale go directly to the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Ninety per cent of the money goes from the Stephen Lewis Foundation to carefully selected community-based projects in 15 countries in Africa. The money will be used to support African grandmothers who have undertaken the nurturing, safety and education of some of the 17 million children orphaned by AIDS.

Details please:
The Artisan Crafts for Africa sale takes place on Friday, Nov. 4 from 4 to 8 p.m. and on Saturday, Nov. 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Unifor Hall, 326 12th St. Admission is free. Free parking is readily available. Refreshments are also available by donation.  

Is there anything else I should know?
The sale is so popular that people line up on Friday.  

How much money have the Royal City Gogos contributed to the Grandmothers Campaign?
The Royal City Gogos, now in their eighth year, will reach $300,000 this year. For more information about the Grandmothers Campaign, go to www.grandmotherscampaign.org. For a sneak peek at some of this year’s offerings go to www.royalcitygogos.org/sneak-peek-november-sale.html.