The Merville Grandmothers (MGM's) prepared a Sumptuous Summer Supper that rivalled their 2010 Dinner Party.
Musicians from the group Absolute Polska entertained all evening, their lively music had some grannies showing off their dance steps.
The featured food, "garlic aioli", prompted a quiz that each table struggled to complete. The winning table correctly answered 24 out of 30 garlic-based questions.
Local wines, a basket of fair trade coffee & chocolate bars, a variety of wreaths made from garlic were some of the items in a silent auction that boosted the total raised to send to African grannies. 
The Merville community was out in force, augmented by a handful of Glacier Grannies from Courtenay/Comox.  The small Dove Creek Hall was filled to capacity, adding to the 'good vibes' felt by all. 

Menu 
Featuring local and healthy food:

• Sausages
• Local vegetables
• Garlic aioli
• Dessert
• No host bar 

Tickets

• $25 were sold at Potters Place, 5th & Cliffe Ave, Courtenay BC

All funds raised go to Stephen Lewis Foundation.

Event Images

Four distinguished female health care professionals from the Comox Valley shared their expertise on the topic of  "Menopause, Sex and Aging".

Guest speakers included: 

Speaker

Qualifications

Topic(s)

Dr. Deidre Macdonald

Naturopathic Physician

"What you need to know about menopause, hormones and healthy aging"

Denise Koroll

Registered Massage Therapist       

"Understanding fascia/connective tissue as an important system of the body"

Dr. Serena Patterson

Clinical Psychologist

"How love makes us smarter"

Dr. Tracy Rodgers

Obstetrician & Gynecologist

"The risks and benefits of Hormone Replacement Therapy” as well as “Women's sexual health”

In addition, the incomparable singer and songwriter Helen Austin provided the evening’s entertainment.

This event was part of the community-based fundraiser "A Day for Africa" and was organized by Laura Strachan. Laura is the mother of Billy Strachan who founded "A Day for Africa" in the Comox Valley.

Lorraine Warring of the Glacier Grannies spoke briefly at this event.

All proceeds raised went to the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

Appreciations:

For providing complimentary snacks and beverages, as well as door prizes:

• Thrifty Foods, Quality Foods, Cardero Coffee and Tea Company

For providing wonderful entertainment and doorprizes:

• Helen Austin

For sharing their valuable and appreciated expertise:

• Dr. Deidre Macdonald
• Denise Koroll
• Dr. Serena Patterson
• Dr. Tracy Rodgers

For organzing this event:

• Laura Strachan

Event Image:

The 2011 Glacier Grannies plant sale was a success.  Although rain threatened, it held off during the sale.

Members of the Glacier Grannies had grown an impressive range of plants for this sale, including:

• perennials for shade and sun
• shrubs
• deer resistant plants
• native plants
• flagged irses
• ground covers
• small trees

We also sold coffee and cookies, bird feeders and even a BBQ - all for a good cause.

Funds raised:  $2,581

PDF Download - Event Poster

Appreciations

• To Lorraine Waring and Gillian Farrow for organizing this event
• To all of the Glacier Grannies who grew plants for it, and helped out on the day
• To Kate Clark to donating her old BBQ to raise funds at this event

The third annual Glacier Grannies Scrabble tournament was a success with more than $2,000 raised in pledges, donations and craft sales. 

Twenty players signed up for the event and gathered pledges from family and friends.  At the start of the tournament, each player joined teams representing 4 African countries. Players were invited to complete an Africa quiz before and between games.

Besides members of the Comox Valley community, two touring cyclists from Whitehorse dropped in to play, Ken and Wendy.  They turned out to be Scrabble experts and dazzled their opponents with high scoring words and plays involving multiple words.

After Game 1 there was a break where excellent refreshments were served and door prizes were awarded.   Game 2 was then played and was followed by prizes for Scrabble results.

The tournament was a lovely way to spend a Saturday afternoon … and it was more than just fun.   The money raised will go a long a way for the African community groups supported by the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

Funds raised:  $1,878

Appreciations

Thanks to the following retailers for distributing pledge packages:

• Videos' N More, Comox
• Blue Heron Books, Comox
• Laughing Oyster Bookshop, Courtenay
• Seeds Natural Food Market, Cumberland

Thanks to the these busineses and individuals for providing prizes:

• Art Knapp
• Outback Nursery
• the Zocalo Cafe
• Go mango
• The Green Room
• Hot Chocolates
• Blue Moon Estate Winery
• Laughing Oyster
• Jim Dubois and a number of the Glacier Grannies

Thank you Rotary for donating $150 for the room rental for this event.

We appreciate the work of the following Glacier Grannies on this event:

• Juanita Olson, Joyce Relyea, Lynn Robinson, Kate Clark and Heather Gaines who worked behind the scenes
• and Claire Donovan who co-ordinated it.

 PDF Download - Event Poster

To celebrate the showing of the "Turning the Tide...One Ripple at a time" Textile Art Exhibit in Comox at the Pearl Ellis Gallery, a special (sold-out) African dinner was held. 
 
A fun atmosphere prevailed, with many women in colourful African garb. For those who did not arrive that way, they had the opportunity to wear vibrant head scarves.  The end result was a room full of lively, cheerful people.
 
The Glacier Grannies dinner team did an excellent job of organzing and preparing a wonderful dinner of 7 authentic dishes from sub-Saharan Africa.  The food was excellent and plentiful and we appreciated having a more generous meal than is typical in Africa.
 
A booklet containing the recipes was sold, and it contained a package of the 12 ingredient Berbere Spice Mixture.
 
After the dinner, several of the textile artists gave a talk on the stories behind some of the pieces in the collection.  For many of the Glacier Grannies who had been working on the art show for two years, it was a wonderful opportunity to hear directly from the artists.
 
Thanks to Maria Box, Lorraine Barner, Gail Lobban and Dorothy Drubek for giving us more insight into the Turning the tide...one ripple at a time artwork.

Menu
Bobotie (South Africa)
MangoChutney
Bean and Tomato Bredie (Stew) (South Africa)
African Yam Stew
Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew
Doro Wat Chicken (Ethiopia)
Spiced Butter (Niter Kebbeh)
Ethiopian Vegetable Bowl
Funds raised:  $1,300

Appreciations
Pearl Ellis Gallery - for staying open to 5pm in conjunction with the dinner, and for their overall support for the Comox showing of the Textile Art for Africa
Safeway, Superstore, & the Butcher's Block  - for discounts on the food used in the dinner, allowing more of the funds  raised to go the Stephen Lewis Foundation
Coastal Black - for donating wine for the dinner
Plates - for the use of warming and serving dishware
Courtney Little Theatre - for providng discounted printing services
Yvonne Racine - for doing the lay-out and co-ordinating the printing of the African Dinner recipe book
Judith Hamiliton and Barb Lewis - for organzing and leading the amazing crew of Glacier Grannies who prepared and served the meal
Gillian Farrow -  for organzing the head scarf fabric and tying
Maybeth Hoagland - for doing a wonderful job as the hostess for the evening