I am "under the wire" for January’s Amazing Canadians feature by posting it on the last day of January. Unfortunately, attempts to have an in-person interview with Bill and Ann Peckham failed. Being such remarkable people, I am writing their story anyway and hope they will be ok with it and hope I have the story straight. Information has been obtained from publicly available sources and the Eagle Wings Children’s Village website.
Bill and Ann came to my attention through my mom, who had worked with them in the Frontier School Division in Manitoba. Mom told me of their adventures after retiring from teaching and of how they have impacted the lives of so many orphaned children in Africa. Bill and Ann hail from Manitoba. Bill spent his career in education as a teacher, principal and special education resource teacher. Ann cared for home and children and worked in various capacities outside the home as well. Upon retiring, they moved back to Gilbert Plains, MB and became involved with missionary activities. Being drawn to missionary work, Bill and Ann eventually travelled to Uganda to visit Rev. Christopher Muwonge, who had lived with the Peckhams in Winnipeg in the 1980s. A three month stay turned into two years, during which time, Bill and Ann travelled Uganda extensively. These travels opened their eyes to the poverty and strife of Ugandan children and they developed a personal commitment to helping the thousands of Ugandan orphans. They began to plan their own program in the Kalugu District of Southern Uganda. In 2004, their application to the Ugandan Government, to operate Eagles Wings Children’s Village (EWCV) as an official NGO (Non Government Organization), was granted. In 2005, EWCV was granted registered charity status in both Uganda and Canada. In October of 2005, Bill and Ann became residents of Uganda, committed to improving the lives of Ugandan children. Uganda is in central Africa, with no borders on oceans. One of the best climates in the world lends itself to agriculture, which is relied upon in the EWCV to provide food and occupation for its residents. Though the entire country of Uganda could fit inside the province of Manitoba three times, there are over 27 million people, with one of the highest population growth rates in the world. The majority of the population is under 15 years of age and 2.3 million children are orphaned, due to the high death rate from HIV/AIDS. By establishing EWCV as an NGO and charity, the organization was able to purchase 74 acres of land. This property has been used to provide clean drinking water, schools, a play structure, and agricultural land to provide food for the children. Eleven acres of this land is under cultivation and learning agricultural skills and participating in working the land are a key part of the childrens’ educations. The EWCV employs a growing staff of Ugandans in a variety of roles. Farm managers and assistants, maintenance staff, teachers, social worker, housekeepers, seamstresses, house parents and security guards are among the many staff involved in operating and maintaining the Village. Bill and Ann volunteer their services to the community. In addition to addressing the health needs of the children by providing good food, water, clothing, and cots with mosquito netting, the EWCV also has an on-site clinic provided by Hellenic Ministries. A doctor and nurse attend to the additional health needs of the village children and staff. Education is provided, free of charge, to the orphaned children in the village, as well as the neediest children in the neighbouring community. Text books, supplies, uniforms, shoes, food and health care are provided at no cost. All students begin with English, Literacy (Reading and Writing), Math, Luganda, Christian Education and Physical Education. Once promoted to Senior One level, studies expand to include Integrated Science, including agriculture, and Social Studies. Heading into their 14th year, Bill and Ann’s remarkable achievements have provided hope and life for hundreds of orphaned Ugandan children, who would otherwise be facing a life of poverty and ill health, if any life at all. I am truly humbled by their generosity and tenacity in seeing their dream through, and the selflessness with which they have committed themselves to their task. If you are seeking inspiration, search no further than this remarkable couple. The operation of the EWCV relies on charitable donations and volunteers. If you would like to support their work by volunteering, sponsoring a child, or making a donation, please visit their website at: http://eagleswingschildrensvillage.com/. If you are not able to volunteer or donate, please visit the site anyway and see the pictures and newsletters for the feel-good moments of making a difference in a child’s life.
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OK, this post is waaayy overdue! I wanted to do it as a video, but it appears my skills as a videographer and editor currently leave much to be desired, so I have to resort to stories and pictures again.
The Amazing Canadian series of my Explore My Nation blog is to continue the spirit of my cross-country trip by meeting new people who are doing cool things and telling their story on my blog. My first interview was with Kirsten Atkins, (pronounced keer-sten), whom I met at the Nightmare Before Xmas market in New Westminster, BC. Kirsten is a dressmaker, designer and costumer who owns and operates KLA originals. She began sewing when she was 6 years old and began her first professional business in 1988, doing alterations, mending and custom sewing projects. Her grandfather was a Master Tailor, and she attests that that is likely where she got her talent (as well as the most gigantic pair of shears I have ever seen!). Kirsten takes her grandfather’s talent one step further, though. In the words of her grandmother “He never had your imagination!” For many years, Kirsten lived in Dawson City where she first established KLA Originals as a retail store. Not surprisingly, her main business was the design and creation of authentic turn-of-the-century costumes. With Dawson City being a National Historic Site, many businesses required their staff to be in period costume. Among others at the time, the gorgeous costumes of Diamond Tooth Gerties’ girls were benefactors of Kirsten’s considerable talent. In more recent years, as an adult with 2 “tween-to-teen” daughters, she received a bag of clothing from a friend. In it were sweaters that the girls didn’t want and didn't fit Kirsten. This was the birth of her idea to upcycle sweaters into unique designs. The design of that first sweater drew so many comments and frequent “borrowing” by her daughters, that Kirsten decided to pursue the idea in earnest. Inspired by designers that she found online, she began to produce full-length and mid-length carousel coats, cardigans, boleros, fairy dresses, elf coats and hoodies. She uses sweaters that don’t sell at thrift stores because they “have holes in them, stains on them, or are just too ugly to sell”. She purchases them at discounted prices from thrift stores and a small number are occasionally donated. She sanitizes them, sorts them by colour and type, then cuts them into her required pattern shapes and repurposes them into beautiful and unique creations. Mostly, they are adult-sized garments, but once a year around Christmas she will produce kid size carousel coats and hoodies. In spite of the smaller sizes, the kids ones take way longer to make. Kirsten uses every bit of sweater that can possibly be incorporated – reusing buttons and zippers, turning broken zippers into design elements and cutting out feature pieces for accents. It can take up to 8 sweaters to create one full-length carousel coat! Other bits and pieces are turned into hats and mitts. The hours of work put into these beautiful garments clearly indicate it is a labour of love as much as a business. Kirsten’s designs can be viewed online at www.klaoriginals.com, or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/klaoriginals/. She says Facebook will have a much broader variety of pictures than the website and she updates it more frequently. Product can be purchased from her website using VISA, Mastercard or Paypal. Keep in mind that stock may be low leading up to Christmas, (I'm speculating), but please check out her amazing designs, modelled by her beautiful daughters, and place your order for a truly unique, Canadian creation! Website: www.klaoriginals.com/pages/gallery Facebook: www.facebook.com/klaoriginals/ Thanks, Kirsten, for being on Amazing Canadians! |
AuthorMy name is Alyson. After a 3.5 month cross-country tour of Canada, I wanted to continue to meet amazing people doing cool things and tell their stories! Archives
May 2019
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