Press Release
by Glynis M. Belec
When Patricia Anne Elford attended her first meeting of the Petawawa Grannies for Africa, she was compelled to do her part. Elford, a writer, editor and teacher, felt an immediate stirring to help the now estimated 15-18 million African children orphaned by AIDS and their caregiver grandmothers.
by Glynis M. Belec
When Patricia Anne Elford attended her first meeting of the Petawawa Grannies for Africa, she was compelled to do her part. Elford, a writer, editor and teacher, felt an immediate stirring to help the now estimated 15-18 million African children orphaned by AIDS and their caregiver grandmothers.
“I wanted to do something because the need was so great,” said Elford.
She referred to the immense task and responsibility that sub-Saharan grandmothers face in caring for their grandchildren. Not only have these brave, African grandmothers lost their own children to the pandemic of HIV/AIDS, but they face the rest of their lives wondering how to provide the basic necessities as they raise their grandchildren.
Elford decided to use her gifts and abilities as a writer to compile submitted stories into a book that would help raise funds for these quietly courageous grandmothers.
Grandmother’s Necklace, a collection of inspiring stories, is the outcome of Elford’s brainchild. This remarkable anthology includes writings by 61 authors from across Canada, the United States and Ireland. The book also contains narratives from five African grandmothers.
None of the anthology authors receive payment for their contribution. All profits from the sale of the book will go to the Stephen Lewis Foundation (SLF) www.stephenlewisfoundation.org/grandmothers.htm through the Petawawa Grannies. SLF is a registered charitable organization that funds grassroots efforts in sub-Saharan Africa to better the lives of the women and children there.
The Kitchener launch of Grandmothers’ Necklace will be held Saturday, May 1, 2010, from 2pm until 4 pm at St. Philip's Lutheran Church, 236 Woodhaven Road in Kitchener. Local author Carolyn Wilker, with the help of Listowel and Drayton authors, Ruth Smith-Meyer and Glynis Belec, is organizing and arranging for selected author readings and a time of celebration, refreshments and reflection. Refreshments will be provided by Omas Siskonas, the local chapter of Grandmothers to Grandmothers.
“We hear much about people in Third World nations and how they struggle,” says Wilker, “but rarely do we hear about those people—grandmothers, in this case— who work so hard to hold things together for their families.”
Wilker, as she contemplates the inconceivable tragedy that is sweeping Africa, joins with Smith-Meyer and Belec in saying that it feels good to [do our part] to help.
Smith-Meyer’s treasured relationship with her own grandmother inspires her to do what she can to foster and help other grandmothers.
“When I saw the request for submissions, I immediately felt compelled to do something for the grandmothers in Africa,” says Smith-Meyer. “I realized the difference between having [my] Grandmother as a "back-up" support and having her serve as a mother because my own was gone.”
Along with contributions by Wilker, Smith-Meyer and Belec, other award-winning contributors to Grandmothers’ Necklace include Phil Callaway, Kathleen Gibson, Judy Maddren, Patricia Elford, L. June Stevenson, and others.
For further information about the launch, e-mail gbelec@everus.ca or cari.edit@rogers.com or call (519) 570-9595
This article is very informative. Thank you so much for writing it.
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