Written by Dana Bachman
KAWARTHA LAKES-We have just come through the world-altering COVID crisis but just 16 years ago another pandemic was raging, the AIDS pandemic, ravaging sub-Saharan Africa. Just as we lost an older generation to COVID almost an entire generation of young African women and men were lost to AIDS. Millions of children were left without parents and in the midst of this (what became a)global health disaster, grandmothers, while grieving their own children, courageously stepped forward to guide their grandchildren through their grief together and into a more hopeful future. The Stephen Lewis Foundation, Grandmothers Campaign, was born from these small grassroots community groups of courageous grandmothers. Canadian grandmothers rallied, determined to raise funds and support those African grandmothers who were already doing so much. Over 20 years, more than $40 million has been raised and now 150 international groups have mobilized; groups all across Canada and now also in England and Australia.
This year the Stephen Lewis Foundation celebrates its 20th anniversary. Here in Fenelon Falls, we have a hard-working Granny group that has been in existence for over 15 years. We are proud to say, from our small community, we have raised over $40,000. AND!! we are very proud to say that the 20th Anniversary Solidarity Quilt, created by hundreds of Granny hands, started in Africa, and finished here in Canada by quilting groups in Manitoba and Kitchener Waterloo, will be appearing in OUR town! You can see in the illustration the face of the beautiful grandmother tree, representing her leadership and protection. Her arms shelter the saplings at her feet, representing her grandchildren, and the colourful roots go deep, deep into the African soil of her community.
We are honoured to be part of a cross-Canada quilt roadshow, with more than 35 stops in all ten provinces. Human rights, justice, feminism and anti-racism are stitched into this one-of-a-kind quilt.
You are invited to view this special quilt during Moonlight Madness in Fenelon Falls on Saturday June 24 from 4pm to midnight at The Lil Wee Quilt Shoppe. The Quilt will also appear at the Sturgeon Point Art Show on Saturday July 8. It will be featured in the Fenelon Falls library, 19 Market St. from July 10 to July 14 and at the Maryboro Lodge, Fenelon Museum, 50 Oak St., on Wednesday July 19.
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