‘Hat Grannies for Africa’ supporting those overseas and in Medicine Hat

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Fabric, Yarn and More Sale on March 29. Courtesy/Hat Grannies for Africa

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“There’s a real benefit locally as well as sort of internationally. And I just think that’s just a wonderful circle,” said Gilchrist.

She said the group has raised over $80,000 with their fundraising since 2008, and small groups like theirs across Canada have raised over $40 million that has gone to Africa to help grandmothers.

Joanie Gilchrist. Jayk Sterkenburg/CHAT News

The Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign, which began in 2006, is an initiative of the Stephen Lewis Foundation in response to the HIV crisis in Africa.

The SLF was created with the express purpose of supporting community-led organizations working on the frontlines of the HIV epidemic in countries across Africa.

Michelle Haukeness, who is involved with the Rotary Ignite club, said that the club will be taking over the responsibility of the annual fabric sale following this year, to assist the Hat Grannies in the labourious process.

“It’s a real community piece, and we’re all about women’s health as well, so we think that this is great for mental health as well,” she said.

“Keeping volunteers busy, and keeping people at home busy, making products,” she added.

“Another piece that really touched us was learning that people who give comfort quilts and things to people in need, as well as mittens and scarfs — they quite often shop at the sale.”

Michelle Haukeness. Jayk Sterkenburg/CHAT News

Janice Croissant, a volunteer with Hat Grannies and member of the Cactus Rose Quilt Guild, said that sometimes 100 quilts are made in a year, and given out to various places in the community.

She said this includes the hospital, Healthy Bundles at the food bank, geriatric people, heart attack victims, victims’ assistants, and to those who have lost their homes to fires.

“It’s about helping people, and that gives you a great sense of satisfaction, especially when you’re helping people in your own community.” she said.

Janice Croissant. Jayk Sterkenburg/CHAT News

Corlaine Gardner, another Hat Grannies volunteer, said the sale process involves a lot of heavy boxes that need to be carried to St. John’s Presbyterian Church, where the sale takes place.

She said the group is glad to have Rotary Ignite help carry the boxes and do some of the more difficult part of the organizing, but said Hat Grannies can still help out with the sorting and the sale, and be involved as volunteers.

She said there’s so many people that do really great things with fabric, but that there’s a lot of it that gets wasted.

“We’re helping prevent the input into the landfill, but we’re also allowing people who are looking for materials, whether it’s for costumes, for crafts, for kids clubs, learning to sew — all those sort of good things in the community,” she said.

“While the group overall has been raising money for African projects, a lot of the impact is actually in the local community.”

Corlaine Gardner. Jayk Sterkenburg/CHAT News

Gilchrist said that the fabric sale is something that she feels she can put her heart into.

“It fills my soul. And I know that it does for a lot of the ladies as well,” she said.

“The camaraderie is what brought me into the group, and I think it’s what keeps the group together, but I think it also is why the volunteers enjoy working with our group.”

Gilchrist said that she’s very happy the group has been able to pass along the concept of the fabric sale to the Rotary Ignite club.

“They bring the same energy to the project as we do,” she said.