Royal City Gogos are launching an art show that will travel Western Canada and raise money for African grandmothers.
Flash mobs of yarn-bombed chairs have appeared in public spaces in New Westminster in recent weeks, as a kickoff event for a juried art exhibit.
"The chairs seem to travel in groups," said Delora Harper, co-chair of the Royal City Gogos. "They are quite amazing."
The Gogos will hold the art exhibit at River Market at Westminster Quay. The community is invited to view these pieces, which have been created by artists from New Westminster to London, England.
"The exhibition is 40 juried pieces from various people," Harper said. "We have a few local artists."
The jury whittled down the 83 submissions to 40 pieces that will travel as part of the show, Celebrating African Grandmothers: Heroes of the Continent.
"There was a lot of fine work that came in," Harper said. "We have sculptures, textile works and paintings. It's quite a varied show."
The artists have donated their creations to the Gogos, whose members are raising funds for the Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign of the Stephen Lewis Foundation. The foundation supports community projects aimed at turning the tide of AIDS in Africa.
"We are doing the art show to bring attention to the plight of grandmothers in Africa," Harper said. "Because there is no middle generation, the grandmothers are the leaders in the community and the primary caregivers."
According to the campaign, more than 14 million children in sub-Saharan Africa have been orphaned by the AIDS pandemic. Many of these children are in the care of their grandmothers, who are elderly and have few resources to care for them.
The foundation works with community-based projects in 15 sub-Saharan countries. To date, Canadian grandmothers have raised more than $16 million in support of African grandmothers and the children in their care.
After its launch in New Westminster, the art exhibition will travel to 14 locations in Western Canada from Campbell River to Brandon, Man. It will return to the city for International Women's Day on March 7, 2014 for a gala auction.
The artwork will be on display from Thursday, May 9 to Sunday, May 12 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the upper level of River Market, 810 Quayside Dr.
Yard sale returns
Bargain hunters will be back in the Queen's Park neighbourhood this weekend hunting for treasures.
The popular Queen's Park yard sale returns to the Royal City on Saturday, May 11, when homeowners throughout the neighbourhood will be selling items and raising funds for Canuck Place.
The 18th annual sale takes place in the neighbourhood from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
RE/Max Advantage real estate agent Frank Wright lived in the neighbourhood and started the event 18 years ago as a way of helping out Canuck Place. When he moved out of the city three years ago, Realtor Dave Vallee took over the event.
"There are usually approximately 50 homes that officially register for the garage sale, but you will see more than that set up - you will also see people setting up lemonade stand and hotdog stands, etc.," said an email from Team Dave Vallee.
"The neighbourhood is swarming with hundreds of people, all day."
For more information or to make a donation to Canuck Place, contact Vallee at www.
TeamDaveVallee.com. The goal is to raise $2,000 for Canuck Place.
Crime prevention
New Westminster's top cop is making an appearance at a local residents' association meeting.
The Glenbrook North Residents Association's May 15 meeting will feature a one-hour discussion led by Chief Const. Dave Jones and Shelley Cole, the police department's coordinator of crime prevention services.
Residents are invited to attend the meeting, which will take place on Wednesday, May 15 from 7 to 9 p.m. in the New Westminster Public Library at 716 Sixth Ave.
