Sunday, September 24, 2006

Latest Malawi News

CBC Sept.24th

The IMF and the World Bank are canceling
a $2.9 billion debt for Malawi.

This is 90% of Malawi's international debt.

This is moment of opportunity for Malawi where the average income is $1 a day.

Hair for Angels

Angelic Hair

Marg Farley has generously offered to coordinate the details around getting hair on angels.

She now has the wool, glue and peg bodies and will be the central point for delivery and pick up of materials for putting on hair.

We are about to begin our busiest time of the year. We anticipate needing about 1000 angels between now and Christmas. If 10 people would commit to doing 100 angel hairdoes we would be fine.That's about 3 hours of work once you get a routine going. Right now we have 4 volunteers for this job.

Give them a break and share the load.

We will have more "hair instruction" at the next dressing Oct. 7th.

Contact Marg (margfarley@shaw.ca) if you can help.

Monday, September 18, 2006

Fear of Sales

Christmas Angel Sales

Last week many angel makers overcame their fear of doing angel hair. Congratulations!

The next challenge will be selling the angels.

We need over 30 volunteers ready to do a short 2 hour shift at one of our sales.

The angels sell themselves. You just need to collect the money! We provide all the materials. You just turn up with a smile.

We have coordinators for all the sales. Many thanks to Anne, Fran, and Barb.

Contact them to select your time and date:

Anne:jalowan@shaw.ca
Westshore: Nov. 2,3,4

Fran: franinvictoria@yahoo.ca
University Heights


Barb: bmckrow@shaw.ca
Hillside: Nov. 24,25,26

Fall Dates: Update

Saturday, October 7
10 a.m. til 2 p.m.
Drop in or bring your lunch if you come for the day,
St. Aidan's
3703 St. Aidans' Street
(check your map, this is tricky to find)


Tuesday Oct. 17
7 to 9 p.m.
Holy Cross Parish Center) next to church,
4049 Gordon Head Rd.
Angel Making


Note change
Wednesday October 18
6:30- 8:30 (Note Time!!)
James Bay New Horizons
234 Menzies
just north of Thrifty's James Bay
Angel Making



Oct. 25th: 7-9 p.m.
Susannes, 1273 Fairlane Terrace
Angel Making



Nov. 2,3,4
Westshore Mall
Anne Lowan in charge
Angel Sale


Nov. 6
Monday, 6:3o- 8:30 (note time)
James Bay New Horizons
234 Menzies
just north of Thrifty's James Bay
Angel Making


Nov. 17,18, 19
University Heights Sale
Fran Miller in charge


Tuesday, Nov. 21
Holy Cross Parish Center) next to church,
4049 Gordon Head Rd.
Angel Making



Nov. 24, 25, 26

Hillside Mall
Barb McCrow in charge
Angel Sale

Friday, September 15, 2006

Thrifty Smile Cards

Smile Cards good until December 2006

We have received a huge benefit from the Thrifty Smile Card program since December of 2005.

Thrifty's will be revising the program effective January 2007.

We can use our current cards until December 2006. We still have about 30 cards left and it is really worthwhile using them for the remaining 3 months of the program.

If you have lost yours and need a new one or you know someone who would like one, email Mary at bomford@island.net and cards will be mailed to you.

The Smile Card program will continue in a new form. We are not sure if we will qualify under the new program but we are immensely greatful to Thrifty's for the benefits we received this year. You could express your thanks when you use your card.

Saturday, September 09, 2006

Students in Malawi




African Angels, our community contact group in Mzuzu, Malawi, is funding schools fees for children orphanned by AIDS. The funding is provided by Aids Angels, Victoria and Seeds for Malawi, Saltspring. These girls are attending high school with the support of African Angels.

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

A Letter from a Young Angel Maker

Heather lives on Pender and made angels with Mary, a member of one of our sister groups. Heather is 10 years old.

Dear Mary,

Thank you for letting me make “Aids Angels” with you and Andrea.
With each pieace added onto the Angel deep down I know that I have done a good deed. With the sales of the dolls, People in Africa are being given aid. Some people might think “Who cares? We have a good life it’s not our fault if they don’t have food and water.” But when we’ve made even just one “Aids Angel” and then turn on the TV and see those shows abouting giving aid to people in Africa, we know we’ve done a good deed. Thank you for giving me a richly deserving chance at doing my part for the world, Thanks again,

yours truly,
Heather

P.S I saw both my angels in the disaply window at the Driftwood. Oh how I felt!

A letter from Maria Ndolo

Maria receives funding for her school fees from African Angels. Her fees are covered by our sister group on Saltspring Island. She lives in Mzuzu, Malawi and responded to a request for a letter describing her situation and her hopes.

I am Maria Ndolo. I was born on 20th October 1991 at St. John's Hopsital here in Mzuzu and I am the fourth born of our family of five.

Life was going well with me when I was below 14 years. But my father was expelled from his job, not because of doing bad things but because he felt sick. He died on 20th July 2005. My mother was trying her best to find means of finding school fees but it was always difficult to make it for all of us in our family.

It has been my dream that I will be a lawyer one day and I thank God that he sent the African Angels to my rescue and I know I will acheive my goal.

Splenda for Splendid Angels

Do you use Splenda?

Could you keep the boxes? They have a lovely silver lining that some angel makers are using as a base for glitzy angel bodies. Bring them along to angel making sessions or email Mary at bomford@island.net for directions for other drop off opportunities.

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Positively Africa

This will be of interest to Aids Angel makers. We are a group that makes direct community to community contact with our projects. Peggy and Peter will talk about the value of this kind of connection compared to working with much larger organizations.




positively AFRICA

Victoria talk and slide show

Who – Peggy Frank and Peter Bardon - “positively AFRICA

What – Peter and Peggy will talk about their experiences and connections in Rwanda, Lesotho, Zimbabwe and South Africa. They will discuss the importance of direct linkages with communities in Africa and provide some idea about what can and has been done.

Where – The Garth Homer Foundation Centre at 813 Darwin Ave (near the Saanich Municipal Hall, and the crner of Vernon Ave. and Saanich Rd)

When – 7pm on Friday Sept. 22, 2006

For more information call Peter and Peggy – 250 -537-7064 or 250-519-0040