Aylmer Gogos Part of Grand Market 

Pat Dolan

Local grandmothers – the Aylmer Gogos - are busy creating beautiful items for sale at the upcoming Grand Market, which will take place on November 25th at Lansdowne Park. They will be part of a large gathering of granny groups from across the region, all raising funds for grandmothers and their orphaned grandchildren in sub-Saharan Africa.

And why are these grandmothers fundraising? “The AIDS pandemic is far from conquered,” says Mia Overduin, leader of the Aylmer Gogos.  “25.5 million people are living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. In Canada, that would mean 70% of our population was infected with the virus. The parental generation in areas of Africa has been decimated, leaving the burden of care for 14 million orphaned children on the shoulders of the continent’s grandmothers.” African grandmothers are feeding, housing, and clothing these children, putting them through school, creating support groups to manage grief, and delivering comfort and hope. In addition, these grandmothers continue to face the triple threat of discrimination based on sex, age, and HIV status.

The Gogos are inviting neighbours, friends and family to come to the Grand Market to shop for home-made and holiday items including baking, jams, crafts, and gifts. The “gently-used” offerings include excellent-quality women’s clothing and accessories, children’s toys, books, board games, and art, silver, glassware and other treasures. Visitors can enjoy a coffee, treats or lunch at the Sweet and Savoury Café and perhaps chance a visit to Grandmother Moon, our popular Tarot card reader.

“Since 2006, when a group of Canadian grandmothers pledged their help,” says Mia, “the Grandmothers Campaign has raised some $33 million for community-based organizations in sub-Saharan Africa that help affected grandmothers, children and youth. The Aylmer Gogos are part of that movement!” 

There has been some progress on HIV/AIDS. Globally, new HIV infections among young children halved between 2010 and 2016. However, infections among teens between the ages of 15 and 19 are rising. A recent UNICEF report states that in 2017 around 30 teenagers per hour in this age group were newly infected with HIV, two-thirds of them girls.

The Market will be held in the Horticultural Building at Lansdowne Park on Sunday, November 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is no charge for admission. This year’s GRAND Market is again being sponsored by Catherine Bell, Royal LePage Team Realty, and a member of One World Grannies. 

For more information contact Pat Dolan (pat_dolan@hotmail.com) or Mia Overduin (miaoverduin@videotron.ca)