REGINA — Inside the James United Church in Regina, boxes full of yarn, fabric, etc., are being sorted by Regina grandmothers for a yard sale.
These individuals make up Grandmothers 4 Grandmothers Regina (G4G Regina), who are dedicated to helping with the AIDS situation in Africa with a fundraiser.
“It's a way for us to help internationally because the needs are so great in Africa. These are the poorest of poor countries, and it's an incredible, incredible hardship for so, so many people,” said G4G Regina member Sherry Fox.
The group has been operational for 20 years now.
G4G Regina member Sheila Fahlman recalled back in 2006, following the International AIDS Conference in Toronto, where the Stephen Lewis Foundation (SLF) brought hundreds of grandmothers together from Canada and Africa for days of meetings. This eventually led to Grandmothers 4 Grandmother branches forming across Canada.
“I kept hearing about this, and a friend in Saskatoon had been encouraging me to get a group going here. So six of us got together one day, had coffee, and talked about starting a group in Regina.”
G4G Regina has seen major success in its first 20 years, raising over $1 million for the SLF.
“The Stephen Lewis Foundation focuses primarily on these 14 countries in eastern and southern Africa that have been most affected by AIDS, the AIDS epidemic in the past and currently,” said Fahlman.
Founded by humanitarian Stephen Lewis, who recently passed away, the SLF helps fund community-led organizations on the ground in Africa, which Fahlman said means the money goes further on the continent.
“So they are able to support women and grandchildren and other marginal communities within those countries.”
Preparing for their yard sale, members of G4G Regina have organized donations since the beginning of April.
“If it's yarn, I imagine they're rolling in that room or counting spools of thread, packaging them up. We want to sell it all," said Fahlman.
Despite the time and effort sorting large amounts of donations takes, Fox described her reasoning for coming back each day.
“I think it's twofold. First of all, the cause is so great. The needs are great in Africa. But more importantly, as a grandmother here, I want to have my grandchildren see that I am helping others as well.”
Meanwhile, Fahlman said supporting fellow peers drives her.
“Anything that helps and supports women and girls is high on my agenda for where I want to give my time, energy and money.”
The G4G Regina yard sale begins Saturday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. More information can be found here.
