2011|11|7

Voting day

2011|10|24

I've been meaning to share this card that touched my heart.  Britt, one of the Dyer siblings I photographed a week ago, made a point of dropping off this card before her session with her siblings.  It said 'thank you for taking time away from your family and children to photograph us'...I feel so special and like I had a connection to my clients already!

OPHS Grand Opening

This afternoon I attended the grand opening of the new school, Oxbow Prairie Horizons.  The event was very near and dear to my heart as I have been working on the New School Project Fundraising Committee as Secretary ever since we moved here 3 years ago.  We raised over $1.1 million which was used to enhance the school in many ways.  I would like to thank Ian Cushon for acknowledging each one of us who were on this committee, for we worked very hard and put in much of our volunteered time to accomplish this.  It has been a pleasure working along-side the other amazing women on the committee, they have taught me so much an in return I have gained their friendships.  I am so proud to be a part of something that will enhance our community and school years of the students attend this state-of-the-art facility.

It takes a village to raise a child - African Proverb

2011|4|5

Tonight I was proud to be a part of a community pulling together for a great cause: 'Fight For Fonstad' (you can read more about it here and follow Megan's journal here). Approximately 500 tickets were sold for tonight's Dessert Theatre Fundraising Event.  The new gymnasium looked grand, the students preformed wonderfully, and all of the volunteers did an amazing job; a successful night all-round.

Fight For Fonstad Foto Shoots

My friend and local Grade 2 teacher Megan was recently diagnosed with a rare lung cancer that targets non-smoking women. In response, a few of us local photographers are doing  ”Fight For Fonstad Foto Shoots” – 3 simultaneous photography shoots happening in Carnduff, Oxbow and Alameda. The idea is to have 20 minute blitz photo sessions and provide people with a CD of 5 professionally edited images of them and their families at a cost of $50.00 of which all the proceeds will go to help the Fonstad family in their fight against cancer.

Here's the Schedule in all three locations:

10:00AM-2:00PM ~ 20 minute shoots

10:00-10:20

10:30-10:50

11:00-11:20

11:30-11:50

12:30-12:50

1:00-1:20

1:30-1:50

You can contact Jocelyn Harvey for Carnduff

Jason Schultz for Alameda

And yours truly, Starlite Studio Photography in Oxbow

to book a photography session.  

All people are welcome to participate from individuals to groups. C’mon out and support a great cause!!! Check out the Fight for Fonstad Foto Shoot group on Facebook.

WOW...all spots for all three locations SOLD OUT in 24 hours.  Thank you for making this fundraiser a success!

2011|3|6

It was our son's final hockey game of the season today...and Cory's last game to coach.  We are so proud of Ace for going out and skating his little heart out this year, all-the-while having fun.  His favorite position is Goalie!  The team came away with a win and this group of 6 & unders were pretty pumped up.  It was so nice to hear a few parents come up to Cory and acknowledge what a great volunteer job he did with coaching this year.

Go Huskys Go!

2011|2|9

(Verla, Sherlynne, Gisele, Shelley, Marlene & Jan)

I took the opportunity to visit these local ladies today to take a few photos of how they are Making A Difference getting together sewing 'Little Dresses for Africa'. Shelley Baldwin, an Oxbow resident, spearheaded this project after her mother found an article in a sewing magazine about this great cause. She is an avid sewer/quilter and great believer in not wasting time, especially since she has health issues. She plans to keep active doing as much as she can for others.

She mentioned on Facebook that anyone who would like to get involved to head on over for a day of sewing at her house. The first ambition was to make 25 dresses, then 50 and now over 200! Local women were eager to help out, joining in and lending their time to sew, others contributed fabric and food for the get togethers. Shelley's husband Craig jokes that she is 'clothing the world one dress at a time'...it's starting to become evident it's turning out to have a big impact. Dresses have been sent to Ethiopia, Zimbabwe & Sudan. You can listen to Shelley's live interview on CBC radio here.

I have known Shelley since I was a child, her son & I went to school in the same grade. I have very fond memories of visiting Shelley's home when my Mom went there for coffee. I remember playing in their backyard playhouse & watching Mr. Dress-Up with her boys. I feel proud to be in the same community as such a good-hearted women.

Shelley encourages others to make yourself useful, using the time you have to help others. 'If every person on their own tried to make a little bit of a difference, it adds up' she said, Shelley hopes the message will carry on. Volunteerism is truly alive here, it was wonderful to be among such giving women and share some great laughs that day as they sew some good.

New School Tour

Today I had the opportunity to attend a tour of the New Oxbow Prairie Horizons School. Working on the Fundraising Committee for this project over the past 3 years has been so rewarding and tonight we were able to see how our hard work has paid off. I am so proud to have worked on this community project and enhance this facility for the students in grades K-12. A feeling of 'awe' comes to mind when you enter this new building, it's very exciting to have this state-of-the-art facility. We're hoping for the possession/move-in date to remain March 4th (fingers crossed). Here are a few photos I took during the tour: