Grannies help fellow grannies a continent away with annual sale
More than 100 hatters flocked to St. John’s Presbyterian Church this weekend, but it wasn’t to pray.
Saturday marked the fifth annual Hat Grannies for Africa Fabric, Yarn and More Sale, and the group was hopeful to raise nearly $3,000 according to organizer Joanie Gilchrist. She said the money raised will all go to a cause that hits close to home for the Hat Grannies for Africa group.
“We’re raising money for the Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign,” she said. “It supports grandmothers in sub-Saharan Africa and it provides stable funding for programs for these grandmothers who are raising their grandchildren.”
In many cases, these grandmothers are raising the children due to the HIV/AIDS crisis.
Gilchrist says the group saw something similar in Calgary, and modeled their sale after that one.
“All of the materials we are selling are donated to us, so our group of volunteers will try to sell as much as possible each year.”
Gilchrist says one particular thing she enjoys about the sale is the good people will do with the fabric they buy.
“A lot of quilters come and make quilts for charity organizations around the city,” she said. “People use the fabric to make things for other people in Medicine Hat, and I really like that.”
Best of all, Gilchrist says people who shop at the sale get a good deal.
“Since this is donated, we can sell it for a very good price,” she said. “We want people to come in and buy this, because we can then donate more to the cause, it’s a winwin.”