From left, Saugeen Grannies members Jean Meisenheimer, Elaine Palmer, Linda Shultz, John Dallaire, Margitta Lange and Randy Shultz.

Hub Staff

While this Summer will bring the final season of sidewalk jewellery sales by the Saugeen Grannies on Cruisers Cruise Nites in Southampton, members said there are new beginnings and new initiatives on the horizon.

The Saugeen Grannies have raised a total of $85,000 for the Stephen Lewis Foundation Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign. The Stephen Lewis Foundation delivers resources to community-led organizations that are turning the tide of HIV and AIDS in Africa and their Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign assists African grandmothers in supporting children who have been orphaned as a result of AIDS and HIV.

The Saugeen Grannies was started by Margitta Lange and her husband John Dallaire a decade ago ago and has been a Southampton staple, setting up shop adjacent the Thursday evening Cruisers Cruise Nites near the Big Flag on High Street for the past eight summers. The Grannies, who have grown to include seven members, have two artful fundraising events up their sleeve.

“We wanted to continue on with Grannies but with a different way of fundraising,” said one of the Grannies’ newest members, Elaine Palmer. Palmer was inspired to join the group after hearing Lange speak at an “Adventure Talk” event at the Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre.

The new fundraising initiative “Off the Wall” is an art sale which already has 200 pieces of new, original and used art up for grabs. The sale will take place over two days, August 11 at the Port Elgin Public Branch Library, 708 Goderich St., and August 18 at St Paul’s Anglican Church basement, 248 High St., Southampton. Both events will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“We are very excited about the new direction the Saugeen Grannies is taking with the ‘Off the Wall’ Art sale,” said Palmer. “We are also confident that the people of Saugeen Shores will support the Saugeen Grannies and the African Grandmother’s Campaign,” she added.

The Saugeen Grannies concept of seven members which includes Margitta and John, Jean Meisenheimer, Linda and Randy Shultz, with Don and Elaine Palmer.

Today there are over 250 Grandmothers to Grandmothers branches in Canada as well as a number in other countries.