What’s happening?
The Royal City Gogos are hosting their 11th annual Artisan Crafts for Africa Sale – in a brand new location. This year’s event is happening in on Saturday, June 4 from10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the entry foyer of New Westminster Secondary School at 820 Sixth St.
Janine Reid, who founded the Royal City Gogos in April 2009, said attendees will enjoy a day filled with warm smiles in a huge venue where there’s lots of room to circulate and fun products – all the while raising money for a great cause.
“Customers say, ‘It’s the highlight of my year – I never miss it!’; ‘My girlfriend and I travel from Calgary for this sale!’; ‘I'm always impressed with the warm welcome and the variety of crafts,’” she said.
What will I find at the sale?
New to this year’s sale is a vintage section with carefully curated collectibles. The sale will also feature Experiences and Consumables sections.
“There you can enroll in a craft class, subscribe for monthly garden flowers, order a charcuterie board or gaze at the sun with an astronomer,” said a notice about the sale. “There’s always something new in store.”
Attendees will also find the high-quality signature items and new and uniquely creative items that have delighted customers for 11 years.
“Fashion lovers will enjoy the hand-knit, hand-woven or felted scarves, jean jackets and handbags. Gardeners will love the plant selection, as well as the garden fairies and fairy homes to create vignettes in your garden beds or pots,” said a notice about the event. “As ever, we will feature our signature totes and bags, and brightly coloured African baskets!” How about a “tinkelele” banjo made with a cookie tin? Or a book sculpture for your reading corner? There are the fur gnomes made from upcycled fur; these gnomes are only six to eight inches high and come complete with tiny accessories – you’ll find a fisherman, golfer, chef, magician and a gardener!”
What are the Royal City Gogos raising money for?
All proceeds from the sale go to the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign, where 90% of the foundation’s money goes to community-based projects in 15 countries in Africa. The money supports African grandmothers who have undertaken the nurturing, safety and education of some of 17 million children orphaned by AIDS.
How much money have the Royal City Gogos raised through the years?
“We just had our 13th anniversary and celebrated donations of $686,156,” Reid said. “This is life-changing money, and will have funded critical support for grandmothers and orphans on their path to resilience and self-determination.”
While the world is focused on supporting Ukraine, Reid said it’s important for people to know that Africa is still in great need of the community’s support.
“The combination of AIDS and COVID have strained resources at the community level. Moreover, the war in Ukraine is predicted to cause dramatic food shortages, hunger and poverty in Africa. This has the potential to increase the incidents of domestic violence and create conditions for the further spread of AIDS,” she said. “Royal City Gogos members are giving personally to Ukrainian causes, but our fundraising work is still focused on Africa, and we hope the community can find it in their hearts and wallets to support both as well.”
More info, please!
You can get more information about the Royal City Gogos – as well as a sneak peek at some of the items that will be available at the sale at www.royalcitygogos.org. To learn more about the Grandmothers Campaign, go to www.grandmotherscampaign.org.
