The idea for this project started with a Facebook post by a friend of mine. It was a link to someone else's blog about making something every day for a year. I thought that was a fantastic idea. I was thinking about different projects and how to do something good for the world and I thought of this idea. Why not paint a canvas a day for a year and then sell them and donate the money? I've thought and planned all day and figured why not just jump in.
Tonight I will paint my first canvas. I figure I'll keep them small-ish, but any size will do. I have sixteen unpainted canvasses here and I will likely start with those while I try to approach art supply stores to see if they will jump in this madness with me. :) I'm happy to advertise for any store who wishes to donate canvasses, and probably paint when my current supply runs out! At the rate I'm planning to go I fully expect to run out!
So... I'm very excited, and thankfully supported by my wonderful husband, who no doubt thinks I'm a little nuts to take this on. But, it's a pretty good idea and I think it will make me happy to do it.
Here's to a canvas a day and some fun and funds for a good cause.
Any suggestions for the profits' destination can be made below in the comment box. Happy 2011!
Ooo... Fun!
ReplyDeleteThe Children's Wish Foundation would get my vote (if I got a vote), although any child-related charity would be fantastic in my mind. (Actually, any charity would be fantastic--I'm not being much help here.)
Good luck and HAVE FUN with this project. :)
It will totally get a vote. I'm thinking of doing a poll after I get a few suggestions. So, yeah, The Children's Wish Foundation is an excellent suggestion! Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteI am a novice at blogs and not sure how to post so this is a test. If it works, I will post again
ReplyDeleteOk, I get it!
ReplyDeleteI would love for you to consider the IWK Auxiliary as your charity of choice. The Auxiliary is a VOLUNTEER organization that raises funds for the comfort of patients at the IWK, both women and children. We fund the things that frankly would never be bought without the help of Auxiliary. We do not build operating rooms etc We do the small things, that make the hospital experience easier to bare. We have funded everything from child friendly murals on barren hospital walls, to the play garden, to research, to specialized bikes and sleds for handicapped children that are loaned to outpatieints. This is one example that is so amazing. One of our members wrote me a note when she saw a child riding a bike with a big smile on his face.Her comment was that he looked just like any other kid. It took a second glance to note that the bike did not have foot pedals, only foot rests. The pedals were at the hands. She said seeing that makes our hard work fundraising worthwhile. The Auxiliary funds an equipment loaner program and they sent us a recent photo of one of the kids out Christmas tree hunting in the woods. He was only able to do this because of the specialized snowsled we had purchased and was available for loan.
We fund presents for the kids that are in hospital on their birthdays and we buy books and toys, and breast pumps for nursing mothers who have ill babies.
We fund a weekly tea for parents and patients which I attended for the first time last week. I was amazed at the kindness and caring of the volunteers. A young mother attended with her five year old daughter in her arms. The volunteers knew them by name, as the child was undergoing chemo treatments and had spent a lot of time in the hospital. What was nice was seeing someone take care of that mother, even if only for 20 minutes. They made her tea and gave her a sweet, and ran and got the child apple juice. And because the child was cold, they ran and got her a quilt, which she could take back to her room or home. This young mother had another younger child at home. I was so pleased we could help make her day, just a little easier. And that is what the Auxiliary is about.
Last year, when there was an outbreak of H1N1, all toys were removed from waiting rooms. The Auxiliay stepped up and bought televisions for the waiting rooms. And we provide colouring and stickers, because that is still permitted.
We have bought refrigerators for patient rooms, so that new mothers can store breast milk and parents can use the fridge in their child's room when they are there for long term care. We all know what hospital food is like. This allows parents to keep things in the room for their child. We provide so many things ---all geared to the comfort of patients and their families. We also provide funding that is distributed to families in need, for bus passes for example, so parents can visit their child, and sometime meal vouchers for the cafeteria. Truly the list goes on.
This year is the 65th Anniversary of the IWK Auxiliary. Your donation would be a great anniversary present! Please consider us.
I am the president of the Auxiliary and you can get in contact with me through the Auxiliary office at 470 8918. Tell them you want to talk to Jo-Anne, I am the volunteer president.
thanks for listening to me!