Submitted by Nelson Grans to Grans
Nelson Grans to Grans celebrate the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s 20th anniversary by showcasing the Solidarity Quilt that more than 300 grandmothers from Canada and Africa, crafted, contributed pieces and stitched together.
This represents the remarkable journey grandmothers in Africa have made in the face of adversity. The finished quilt features a tree-like figure of a grandmother with outstretched arms that form a canopy of leaves. Tiny saplings are nurtured under the branches — like a grandmother caring for children — while roots embedded in the soil represent the growth of a community.
The quilt is on display at Nelson Museum, Archives and Gallery for one week only, when it leaves for Penticton in its nationwide tour. In total the Solidarity Anniversary Quilt will visit at least 35 cities and towns across Canada.
Unbelievably, since 2006, Nelson Grans to Grans has reached a long-term goal by raising over $350,000 thanks to the generous support of the community of Nelson and the surrounding areas. It is all going to aid “grandmothers” in Sub-Saharan Africa who are caring for children orphaned by the AIDS and HIV pandemic.
Thank you to the Stephen Lewis Foundation Grandmothers Campaign that fosters creativity and knows that grandmothers know what works best in our own communities whether in Canada or Sub-Saharan Africa. The quilt is a celebration of the amazing solidarity of grandmothers!
Come to the grand opening in Nelson on Sunday, Feb. 25 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Nelson Museum, Archives and Gallery. Featuring the quilt, Bill Dickerson on guitar, a market table with gran-made handcrafts, and of course refreshments baked with love.
Following that, it will be open to the public at the museum until March 2. This quilt is not to be missed!