Centre Greene shines at annual holiday fundraiser

About 30 artisans and crafters from all over Quebec had tables set up in the local community center. In the morning, the bake table was heavily loaded with cookies, breads and pastries, although almost everything had been purchased by early afternoon.

Empty Bowls, a grassroots movement to raise awareness of hunger and food security issues, was among the groups. For $20, visitors received a handmade ceramic bowl filled with minestrone soup made in the Centre Greene kitchen, a piece of Irish soda bread baked by a centre board member, and a piece of fruit. “Besides the local crafts, we have many more international crafters this year with more fair trade,” said Erica Bloom, one of the Treats and Treasures organizers. Among the organizations featuring wares from the developing world were Dix Mille Villages and the Mama-Africa Foundation.

This was the first year the Montreal Zoological Society, which used to organize the annual bird fair at Westmount High School, took part. There were no live owls, but lots of information was handed out about the society’s activities.

Kim and Christie Courtnell, twins who specialize in creating items for children, came in from Beaconsfield. One of their specialties is lead-free jewelry. “She does the jewelry side of things and I do the handmade boxes,” said Christie. “My daughter puts jewelry in her mouth and a few years ago there were a lot of stories about lead in jewelry,” Kim said. “I wanted something that I could ensure was lead-free. I found a manufacturer of the components and started making it myself. I woman at a toy shop in the Pointe Claire Village admired it and said I should sell it, so I started selling it there actually.”

Marcia McKenzie, president of the Mama-Africa Foundation, said the organization partners with cooperatives of women in Zimbabwe who are struggling to make ends meet while taking care of orphaned children. “All proceeds a returned to the cooperatives and they in turn care for themselves and the children,” she said.

Photo: Martin C. Barry