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Grandmas in Africa to benefit from Maple Ridge sale

The Golden Ears Gogos Pop-Up Sale on Nov. 27
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Items that will be sold at the Golden Ears Gogos Pop-Up Sale. (Golden Ears Gogos/Special to The News)

A group of grandmothers in Maple Ridge will be raising funds for grandmothers in Africa to help them care for their families and communities.

The Golden Ears Gogos, will be raising money for the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign, at a Pop-Up Sale on Saturday, Nov. 27, at the Maple Ridge Seniors Centre.

Grandmothers to Grandmothers was launched in 2006 in response to the AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa, where grandmothers were often the ones left to cope with caring for orphaned children and advocating for their families and their community. However, they often face discrimination based on gender, age, and HIV status.

Since the campaign started, more than $40 million has been raised in support of grandmothers and the community-based organizations who support them.

The campaign started with just a few groups in Canada and now includes 10,000 grandmothers and grandfathers in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

According to their website, the Stephen Lewis Foundation is a progressive, feminist organization rooted in the principles of social justice, international solidarity, and substantive equality. The foundation was created to support community-based organizations working on the frontline of the AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa, and since 2003, has partnered with 335 community-based organizations on more than 2100 initiatives in the 15 countries that have been hardest hit by the AIDS pandemic.

The foundation’s community-based partners provide care and support to women, orphaned children, LGBTIQ individuals, grandmothers and people living with HIV and AIDS.

The Golden Ears Gogos are looking for more members.

READ MORE: Helping grandmas in far-off lands

“We have about 25 active members and are always looking for more. Many hands and ideas make great work and all,” said group member Heather Crum.

Crum noted that although there is no fundraising goal for this event, other than to raise as much as possible, they are also aiming to shine a spotlight on their cause.

The Golden Ears Gogos will be selling hats, scarves, knitted dolls, pottery, pet beds, books, jewellery, handwoven baskets, super pens, bears, baking, among other items, at the pop-up event.

READ MORE: Help out grandmothers

The sale will be outdoors and under cover from 10-1 p.m. at the Ridge Meadows Seniors Activity Centre, 12150 224 St. in Maple Ridge.

Many of the items will be by donation and organizers are asking people to bring small bills to avoid making change.

They will also be accepting credit cards.

Masks are being encouraged as well as physical distancing.

For more information go to greatervangogos.org.


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Colleen Flanagan

About the Author: Colleen Flanagan

I got my start with Black Press Media in 2003 as a photojournalist.
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