The Parksville Qualicum Beach News Thursday, November 21, 2013
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liSSa aleXaNDer PHOtO
Louise Sosa, founder of Aldea Maya, was seen selling Christmas cards in the community recently benefiting people in need in Guatemala. She will be selling them at the Winterfest & Craft Fair this weekend.
celtic craft fair
Winterfest & cards
Aldea Maya cards and other charitable efforts LISSA ALEXANDER
reporter@pqbnews.com
Purchase a Christmas card this weekend and help change a life in Guatemala. Aldea Maya is a local registered charity and every Christmas the organization sells Christmas cards designed by School District 69 students. Money from the cards buy things like flannel diapers, school supplies, food and gardening supplies for Mayans in Guatemala. Cards start at $15. Louise Sosa, founder of Aldea Maya will be selling the cards along with some bead work and other treasures at the Winterfest & Craft Fair this weekend at the Parksville Community and Conference Centre. The event will also have 70 high-quality crafters selling items like clothing, jewelry, baking, photography, body care products, food, seasonings and spices, pottery and more.
There will be live bands playing throughout the event, highland dancers, kids activities and food. And on Sunday, a Ceilidh celebration with popular local group Celtic Chaos will happen from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Admission for the whole weekend is $4 and $1 of that will be donated to one of the local community groups listed on the event website. The Ceilidh costs $15 for adults, $12 for students and seniors, and a family pass is $40. Thrifty Foods will be giving away $50 Smile Cards every hour throughout the weekend and there will be door prizes from the vendors given out every hour. The Winterfest & Craft Fair runs Friday, November 22 from noon to 8 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 to 4 p.m. For more information on the event visit the website www.winterfestcraftfair.com. For more on Aldea Maya visit www.aldeamaya.ca.
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Kindred Spirit at SOS SOS Volunteer Pat will never forget the Christmas 47 years ago, when her husband had just walked out on her and her three kids, the youngest of who was seven years old. “My son was still sitting on the fence as far as believing in Santa. Here I was a newly single mother with nothing, and I somehow managed to cobble together a gift for each of the kids, but I knew that Santa would have left something for me under the tree as well. I had just bought a tea kettle, so I wrapped that up and put my name on it.” Her son didn’t buy it. Years later, her maternal instincts were forced into overdrive again when someone close to the family took his own life, and Pat focussed on her children’s well-being instead of her own. More than a decade after that incident, her mental health suffered as a result of putting others first and Pat suffered a complete mental breakdown. “When I got better, I said ‘no one else should ever have to go through that because they aren’t able to deal with
their grief.’ And that’s when I started volunteering at Hospice.” Pat learned about the balance of caring for others while taking care of herself, was soon volunteering at the Salvation Army, then VIHA with Mental Health and Addictions, and most recently joined Society for Organized Services. Three times a week, Pat volunteers in the Child, Youth and Family Centre kitchen, preparing food for daytime programs. She also volunteers as a friendly visitor with SOS Oceanside Better at Home program. Last Christmas, she knitted slippers for all the participants in SOS child and youth programs. “When I see families coming into SOS at Christmas time to choose gifts for their kids, I know exactly how it feels to be there. That was me...Now I am never happier when that alarm goes off at 6:30 in the morning, because I get to spend the day helping someone.” To find out more information about the SOS Caring for Kids at Christmas program, call 250-248-2093, or visit our website at www.sosd69.com.
Please donate to SOS Caring for Kids at Christmas Program Help us reach our 2013 fundraising goal of
$115,000 To donate: Call 250-248-2093 or visit www.sosd69.com
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SOS Youth Family& Centre S OChild, S Child, &Youth Family CentreDONATE 250-248-2093 sos@sosd69.com s o s @ s o s d 6 9 . TODAY! c o m 2 5 0 - 2 4 8 - 2 0 9 3 245 WestWest Hirst Avenue, 245 Hirst Avenue, Parksville
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