Earth, Wind and Fire
Looking for a little inspiration for Earth Day?
Seeking a way to connect with Mother Nature?
Be sure to check out The Art of Remembering exhibition at the Jasper-Yellowhead Museum.
The exhibition features acrylic paintings by Marla Pollock and raku sculptures by Sharon Anderson.
Anderson says that her works are inspired by “native American” myths and Celtic legends. “I love to work with mythical symbols,” she says.
One such symbol that features prominently in her work is the myth of the White Buffalo Calf Woman. It tells the story of a Lakota medicine woman who, upon her death, said she would return as a white buffalo calf. And that would be a harbinger of peace, harmony and balance in the world.
Another of Anderson’s works is a mother and child. You might be thinking Mary and Jesus or perhaps Isis and Horus. But for Anderson, it symbolizes that “everyday we give birth to inspiration” and that “we need to protect our inspirations and our dreams as a mother would a child.”
The Art of Remembering exhibition runs from April 4 to April 28 at the museum. The museum is open Thursday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m A big highlight is a family Earth Day celebration on Monday, April 22 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. That will celebrate art, nature and the environment.
47,000 served
Maybe it’s not quite like feeding the 5,000.
But feeding an average of 300 hungry tummies—every Sunday for the past 11 winters—adds up to serving 47,460. And that’s nothing short of a miracle.
Just the kind of miracle that the organizers and volunteers with the Jasper Community Dinners pulled off again this year—hosting a total of 12 dinners and serving 2,460 plates since the start of January this year.
This was Community Outreach Services’ (COS) 11th year organizing the Sunday dinners at the Jasper Activity Centre.
They began in the winter of 2002-2003—a year that saw the Marmot Basin ski hill open late, leaving many people without work—as a way to help out Jasper’s struggling seasonal workers.
Since then, the dinners have become a social event for many of Jasper’s residents, with dinner guests ranging from infants to seniors.
The dinners are prepared and served by different volunteers groups each week—although there is a corps of volunteers who are there every week.
“I love the way the community participates,” said chief organizer Patrick Mooney, adult worker with COS. Mooney made a point of thanking the agencies and volunteers who made the miracle happen. “I look forward to seeing everybody again next year.”
For more information on the Community Dinners, contact Mooney at 780-852-6542.
