The annual PAGO Grannies tea marked a milestone for the "Grandmothers for Grandmothers" group: they have now raised almost $167,000 for the Stephen Lewis Foundation, helping grandmothers in Africa who lost their children to the AIDS epidemic.
Robin Forrest co-chair of PAGO gave a brief introduction of how they came to be: “Just over 20 years ago Stephen Lewis came to Port Alberni to speak about his experiences in Africa as envoy for the UN (United Nations).
"He spoke of how his reaction to what he saw was the driving force behind the creation of the Stephen Lewis foundation in 2003. The formation of this foundation, along with a rather unique idea from daughter, led to the creation of the Grandmother to Grandmother Campaign.
In the audience that day in Port Alberni, there were a number of grandmothers who decided they wanted to form a local chapter of the grandmother to grandmother movement.
In December 2006, a small group held their first meeting of the PAGO Grannies: PA for Port Alberni and “Go,” the Zulu word for grandmother, and that day, Port Alberni's PAGO was born.
The Stephen Lewis Foundation (SLF) works with community-level organizations such as the PAGO Grannies to create change in Africa by providing care to women, orphaned children, grandmothers and people living with HIV/AIDS.
Everyone at the recent event was treated to sweets, coffee and tea and served by dashing volunteers in bow-ties. Barry Miller, on piano and Sara Beslic, singing jazz tunes, provided entertainment.
The door prize draw of a $25 gift certificate to anything made by the PAGO Grannies went to Colleen Haack.
There were crafts that the talented grandmothers have made as fundraisers. The tea raised $3,000.
There were also quilt squares that were donated by Joyce Evans and finished by Clara Cauduro and a cross stitch donated by Dianna Cyrdraw tickets are available by donation. The draw will be held at a future date.
