Local artists help refugee family come to Canada
- Details
- Published on Tuesday, February 7, 2017
By Kate Jackman-Atkinson
The Neepawa Press/Neepawa Banner
The South Mountain Refugee Sponsorship Committee (SMRSC) is calling on local artists and art lovers to help them bring a refugee family to Canada. The organization, which was founded last September, will be hosting an art auction fundraiser on Saturday, Feb; 11 from 1:30 to 4 pm at the Minnedosa United Church, 48 Main Street South.
Committee member Natasha Pearen explains why this fundraiser was chosen, “A number of our board members indicated that they had art they would be willing to donate for a sale and we talked about having lots of talented local artists so we decided to do an art auction!” The sale will be live, with viewing running from 1:30 until 2 pm, when the action will start. The donated pieces will have a suggested minimum bid to recognize the time and skill involved in their creation.
Artists’ works at the auction include paintings by Brandon’s Weiming Zhao, oil on canvas by former Minnedosa resident Richard Yates and creations by local artisans, including paintings, photographs, pottery, sculpture, quilting and other works. Local artists had until Feb. 7 to drop off pieces for inclusion in the sale.
SMRSC was formally established last September, when residents from the Minnedosa and Erickson areas joined together to help a refugee family in need of resettlement. The board includes 10 people, though Pearen said others in the community have expressed interest in helping the family settle once they arrive.
Canada is one of only a handful of countries to allow private citizens to sponsor refugees. As sponsors, citizens take on both the costs and obligations associated with resettling refugees in Canada, providing both financial and emotional support for the duration of the sponsorship, usually one year. To date, they have collected about $8,000 of their $30,000 goal.
The committee has selected a family from Africa, who they hope will be able to arrive sometime this year. Pearen explains that the timeline isn’t known, as it depends on the government approval process.
Although the group is non-denominational, they are working with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) during the sponsorship process, which also allows them to issue tax receipts. Anyone interested in getting more information or making a donation to the committee can contact them by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or mail: at MRSC Treasurer at Box 306, Erickson, MB R0J 0P0.
