Grandmothers Embrace event August 11th

The first anniversary of the Toronto gathering of African and Canadian grandmothers is being celebrated with a Native healing drumming ceremony and interactive drum circle, along with guest speakers from the Stephen Lewis Foundation and Dr. John van Dorp who has worked at a hospital in Nigeria, and has seen firsthand the devastation caused by HIV/AIDS. Since the first meeting of Grandmothers to Grandmothers organized by the Stephen Lewis Foundation, 150 groups have sprung up across Canada to raise awareness and mobilize support for Africa's grandmothers raising nearly 14 million grandchildren orphaned by AIDS.

The drumming session will be led by Doug Gray, shamanic Mi'kmaq teacher, international speaker, seasoned storyteller, spiritual counsellor, intuitive dowser, and ordained, nondenominational minister who focuses on Native spiritualism and sacred medicine. He has just returned from a 10-day visit to Regina connected with the All Nations Hope AIDS Network, during which he visited First Nations AIDS patients and met with troubled Aboriginal youth. There will be world percussion instruments available for all to play.

Grandmothers Embrace, the South Simcoe Branch of Grandmothers to Grandmothers, is presenting this event on Saturday, August 11, 2007, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Alliston Community Christian School on King St. S. (past the Industrial Parkway). Early registration is recommended as there is a limited number of places available, although participants can also register at the door. A donation of $25 is suggested, and cheques made out to Grandmothers Embrace Potato Festival can be sent to Judy Temple, 129 Bella Vista Trail, Alliston ON, L9R 2E2; be sure to include your name, address, phone number, group name (if you belong to one) and area. For more information, contact Betsy Vant Spyker (705) 435-4250 or Lorraine Jones (705) 435-2322. All grandmothers and grandmothers of all ages are invited to join us for what promises to be an enlightening, inspiring, and entertaining day.