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Christmas cards by Creston artists, students, seniors will support TAPS

Collaboration between Rotary, artist Eileen Gidman, students and seniors will raise funds for Therapeutic Activation Program for Seniors...
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Creston Mayor Ron Toyota purchased the first set of fundraising Christmas cards from Creston Rotary Club member Brenda Silkie at Creative Fix on Tuesday.

A collaboration involving a service club, an artist and several special needs students and seniors will help raise funds for the Therapeutic Activation Program for Seniors.

Fabric artist and painter Eileen Gidman worked with the Prince Charles Secondary School students and seniors to help create artwork for Christmas cards in a fundraiser sponsored by the Creston Rotary Club.

“As community services chair, I wanted to create a short-term project that had an intergenerational aspect to it,” said Rotarian Brenda Silkie. “I deeply believe that young and old persons spending time together offer each other something amazing. As well, I wanted to design a project that could raise the understanding of Rotary in this community a tiny bit, by focusing on Rotary’s commitment to literacy and youth.”

Silkie recruited Gidman to work with students Jackson Goossen and Nikki Lohrer, along with several seniors who are TAPS members.

The cards, designed and printed by Imagine Ink, will be sold at the Krafty Kronys fall craft sale on Saturday, and at the Creston Valley Farmers’ Market.

“I am deeply indebted to Eileen Gidman, who has offered her time to oversee our art sessions,” Silkie said. “You need running shoes to lope around the table and keep six or seven people moving forward with the creation of their pictures.”