What they anticipated to be a big bag of yarn turned out to be filled with sewn sweaters.
Golden Ears Gogos, a non-profit organization dedicated to combating the HIV/AIDS crisis in sub-Saharan Africa, decided to use this opportunity for a social event happening on Wednesday, March 23 from 10 a.m. onwards at #2-22268 116 Avenue, Maple Ridge.
Through a chain of conversations, the sweaters ended up in the hands of the team nearly six weeks ago.
“One of our members was working with someone and was asked if we needed some wool so we thought because we crochet and knit we could use them. And then we found that there were sweater – already knitted items,” said Heather Crum, member of Golden Ears Gogos.
Read: How Ridge Meadows residents can help Sub-Saharan women fight AIDS pandemic
Golden Ears Gogos raises funds and awareness for “health and human rights with community-led partners to respond to the HIV pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa.”
The initial plan was to set up the event for members only but then they decided to honour this anonymous person’s work through a donation sale.
Morning tea, trying on sweaters and possibly raising funds for the campaign they work for is the crux of the event.
However, there is another reason for organizing this event.
“Another reason for doing this is because we are always looking for new members. It would be a social way to meet people and find out a bit more about the grandmother campaign we are part of,” said Crum.
Like many other local organizations, Gogos has been struggling to find new members to join them.
For nearly three years, they didn’t meet in person for their usual social gatherings and meeting.
Although they have been meeting consistently since September 2022, their energy levels are not the same, something Crum considers vital for a non-profit organization.
“We are all getting older – we are all a group of grandmothers and our energy levels are changing. We are, like many other groups, in the rebuilding phase. We’re here and we’re still good but new energy is so important, right? Any non-profit group will say that new energy is so vital.”
All leftover sweaters will be donated to a local charity.
“We like to have fun and like to do good things while we’re at it.”
