New Year, New Calendar

While the Toronto Bead Society's 2010 calendar has been available for several months, the time has come when we can finally start using it.

This year's cover features a beautiful vessel created by Jennifer Morris, which she created as part of last year's Bead Challenge. The rest of the photos can be seen here: http://www.torontobeadsociety.org/web/index.php?option=com_imagebrowser&view=gallery&folder=Calendar%20Projects/2010+Calendar&Itemid=71

Every year, Toronto Bead Society puts out a calendar featuring fabulous jewellery made by various oh so talented TBS members. Proceeds from the sale of these calendars go to a charity chosen by the Society members. This year, the money will be donated to Bloorview Kids Rehab, a childrens rehabilitation and complex continuing care teaching hospital associated with the University of Toronto. More specifically, the funds will be used for the Possibility Beads Program.

This program ensures that all of the children receiving treatment at Bloorview also get started off with a necklace and beads to spell their name. They then receive special beads to represent each of the procedures they undergo, accomplishments they achieve or events they experience while staying at the hospital. These colourful plastic beads are a motivational tool for the kids. For the rest of us, they symbolize of the courage and strength these kids have to possess in order to endure what they have to to fight their disease. Let's face it, wouldn't you enjoy having an MRI just a little bit more if you knew you were going to get a happy face bead for your necklace once the test was over? I know I would.

You can learn more about the program and the hospital here: http://www.bloorview.ca/. I believe the calendars are still available (although they did sell out last year), at a cost of one for $10 or 3 for $25, with volume discounts also available - contact the Calendar Coordinator to get yourself a couple dozen copies: calendar@torontobeadsociety.org.