Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Message from Malawi

Email from Teddy Phiri,
our Malawi contact

It is pleasing to hear of the great interest of people in the work of AAA. (African Aids Angels). Sometimes I can not believe what we have achieved over time in terms of your mobilisation of people in Canada to be involved in AAA fund raising activities. Reflect back on that dinner evening at your house. We could not imagine that today many people are benefitting in Malawi.
Teddy

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Angel Sales

Angel Christmas Sales

The pre-Christmas season is the busiest time of the year for angels sales.

The new Westshore mall (formerly CanWest) is booked for Nov. 2,3,4. Anne Lowan is in charge and already coming up with creative plans. Contact Anne at jalowan@shaw.ca to help with selling.

Hillside Mall has given us Nov. 24,25,26. This is when Santa Claus arives so we will have a good crowd. Barb McCrow is in charge. Contact her at bmckrow@shaw .ca and choose your shift.

Other locations are University Heights and the Youth Craft Fair at Pearkes. We are looking for coordinators for those sales. Think about it. Contact Mary at 727-0226 or bomford@island.net if you are interested.

Angel Body Parts

Hair, Wings, Fabric and Tags

Join us Saturday, Sept 16 at St. Aidans, 3703 St. Aidans Street, from 10 til noon.

We need to stock up on angel parts to be ready for making angels to meet the Christmas rush.

Come join us and learn how the angel components are made. We will have four centers. You can move around and try all the different tasks.

This is for all of those who say, "Oh I m not so creative!" If you have never made an angel, come and make the components. Everyone is welcome.

We are looking forward to a big crowd. St. Aidans craftroom has lots of space. Check your map. It s near Mt. Tolmie but a little tricky to find.

See you there!

Autumn Aids Angels

Fall Aids Angels Schedule

The autumn nip is in the air. Please keep checking the dates below as you plan your fall schedule.
This will be updated regularly.

New Horizon's in James Bay, and the parishes of Holy Cross and St. Aidans in Saanich have donated us their spacious, well-lit facilities for making angels. We will use these locations regulary but still enjoy the warmth of volunteers homes once in a while. Special thanks to Susanne for her gracious hospitality.

We are trying to alternate between Saanich and Victoria locations to provide locations that are closer to your home.


Sept. 19: 7 -9 p.m.
Holy Cross Parish Center) next to church, 4049 Gordon Head Rd.
Angel Making

October 2
Monday 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. 6
Monday, 6:3- 7:30
James Bay New Horizons
234 Mnezies
just north of Thrifty's James Bay
Angel Making

Nov. 2,3,4
Westshore Mall
Angel Sale

Nov. 24, 25, 26
Hillside Mall
Angel Sale

Monday, August 21, 2006

Fear of Hair

A critical link (or curl) in the chain

Wouldn't you like to watch TV without guilt?

Make your TV time productive!

Learn how to put on Angel hair.

When you come to make angels, you just pick up that pre-prepared angel body and your creative juices flow, but, someone had to put hair on it.

We are immensely greatful to four volunteers who have been steadily putting hair on angels. Its time to lighten their load.

If you have reasonably steady hands and can set aside one or two hours of TV or DVD time to give the angels their hair you will become a very important link in the angel production team. You can do it at home. No meetings, no gas to burn. We admit its not the most exciting job in the world but we can't do without it.



Contact Anne at jalowan@shaw .ca or phone 744-3996 if you are interested.

UPDATE: workshop at St. Aidan's Sept. 16. See post above.





The Generosity of Scissors

Scissors Request

We have had a great response to the request for scissors! Thanks to all those who donated them.

We have a good supply of pinking shears now and hope that you'll enjoy using them for fabric trimming at the dressing sessions.

Sunday, August 13, 2006

FAQ's draft


We need your input:



Check out the FAQ's draft.



Do you have other questions?



Are the answers here complete and clear for you?

Reply to Anne at jalowan@shaw.ca and copy to Mary at bomford@island.net


This will eventually become part of our website.



Frequently Asked Questions

About the African AIDS Angels

  1. How do you transfer the funds to Africa?

Funds are transferred directly from our AAA Victoria account to the bank accounts of our four projects.

  1. How do you distribute your funds?

Our funds are divided equally among the four projects and sent two or three times a year.

  1. How do you know how the funds are being used?

Our board members have personal connections with each project. Several visits have been made to the projects and regular reports are provided by email and telephone.

  1. Why did you choose those four projects to support?

The four projects were chosen because six of our board members have lived, worked or traveled in Zambia, Malawi and South Africa and have personal connections with those involved with each project.

  1. What kinds of projects do you support?

African Aids Angels support people who are affected by AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. We are supporting widows, orphans, family fragments and pregnant women with HIV/AIDS

  1. Are you open to supporting other projects?

At this time the needs of our four projects continue to grow. We do not have the resources to expand beyond our current commitments. We are open to other groups outside the Vancouver Island area, using our model to raise funds for other AIDS projects in sub-Saharan Africa.

7. Are you a charity and can I get a tax receipt for my donation?

African Aids Angels is a registered society in B.C. We are not a registered charity with the federal government and therefore ineligible to provide charitable tax receipts.

8. How many volunteers are there in the organization?

Our Victoria group has over 150 volunteers.

9. What do your volunteers do?

Our volunteers make and sell angels, search out donated materials and prepare them for angel making, speak to educational and service organizations, and support the growth of new groups.

10. Do you have paid staff?

All our staff is volunteer.

11. What percentage of your funds goes to AIDS relief?

On average 93% of the funds raised go to our four projects.

12. Is African Aids Angels Victoria the only Angel group?

There are groups in Winnipeg, Ottawa, Seattle and many Vancouver Island towns. Contact us for more information.

13. I am a teacher. Can someone do a workshop for my class? What kind of information would be provided?

We do presentations for schools. We work with the teacher to provide age appropriate AIDS information for the class. We will assist with angel making provided that the teacher makes arrangements for the sale of the angels as part of the presentation.

14. This is such a huge pandemic. How can you make a difference?

We believe in the Japanese proverb that thousands of individual snowflakes will come together with enough weight to break a branch. We are one of thousands of small groups that together are making a difference.

15. Why are you sending money to Africa when we have homeless people here?

We have respect for all groups that support anyone in need. Many of our members support homeless people through local organizations. AAA is focused on AIDS relief in sub-Saharan Africa.

16. Is this a religiously based project?

We are not a religiously based organization. We are supported generously by many local churches. Our projects in Zambia and South Africa are managed by faith based groups. They are using our funds to support the needs of orphans and pregnant women with HIV/AIDS. Our funds are not used for proselytizing.

17. I would like to go to Africa to work. Can I help with one of your projects?

We do not arrange volunteer placements. Some of our projects occasionally accept volunteers but these arrangements must be made on an individual basis.

18. How can I get involved? How can my sister in Calgary start a project?

In the Victoria area we welcome new volunteers. Call or email and join our volunteer list.

Outside of the Victoria area you can email and ask for the angel making manual. Check the website for the current contact. The Manual for Making a Difference outlines everything you need to know about establishing a group, making and marketing angels. We also encourage other forms of fundraising to support our projects. Email if you interested.

Aids Background

Check the CBC website for information on the Toronto Aids Conference.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/08/13/aids-conference.html