What we've done

What we've done

On-going activities:
OMAS hold monthly meetings September to June, intermittent markets, monthly Planners meetings (steering committee), potlucks in December and June, craft workshops, fundraisers, and generally have a lot of fun!!

2025
May 21: Healey Thompson SLF Senior Advocacy Manager
April 5: Spring Fling

2024
November 20: Sandy Milkovic, regional leader of SSW Ontario Grandmothers Advocacy Network (GRAN)
September 18: Alanna Wallace, deputy director of SLF
April 17: Jax Rula and Adrienne Carter from the Three Sisters Cultural Centre spoke about the upcoming WEFTfest in St. Jacob’s
March 20: Experiences of White Privilege.
How can we help change that power dynamic?
Speakers: Regional Councillor Colleen James and her mum Naomi Sargeant who has lived and worked
in the US as well as Canada - originally from Caribbean, Tianna Gocan, young woman with one white parent and one black parent  Fadhilah Balogun, from African Women’s Alliance, Muslim

2023
November 15: Follow-up to October TED Talk
October 18: TED Talk "How studying Privilege Systems can Strengthen Compassion" speaker Peggy McIntosh
September 20: SLF film "We will not rest"
June 21: OMAS celebrates 15 years 2008-2023
May 17: Blue Roof, Durban, South Africa presented by Susan Neeb
April 19: Sya VanGeest and Theresa Randles
March 15: Business mtg / Spring Market
February 15: Tanzania presented by Ruthanne Snider and Penny Cressman
January18: Dr. Asa Ahimbisibwe, CMH Obstetrician spoke from his book "Hopeful".
2022
December 21: Waterloo County Carollers
November 13: "A Few of our Favourite Things" Fall Benefit for Africa - $24,000 raised.
October: Deb Koegler and Connie Lacey
the ‘Nancholi Youth Organization’ of Malawi
June 1: " Swing into Spring" market
May 18: Gender Equity. Speakers OMAS Barbara Hull, Ann Coughlin, Susan Neeb
April 20: Meeting in Waterloo Park
Zimbabwe: Speakers: OMAS Penny Cressman, Anne Thompson, Marg Tupling
April 7 -16: Online Easter Market: $2211.00
March: The Maasai People Speaker OMA Erla Koch
February: Update on COVID-19 world-wide
Speaker Dr. Alan Whiteside, OBE
Chocolate, Chat & Change: $1387.00
January: Beacon of Hope, Nairobi, Kenya:
Speaker: OMA Margie Warren
2021
January 20th: first OMAS meeting on Zoom. Speaker Ruth Ann Seburn from the SLF.
February - June, September - December Zoom mtgs.
Thank you Ann Coughlin
February: Thelma Hamilton - chocolate-making demo.
March:
1. Rwanda Women's Network- H. Walsh, P. Ballantyne,
P. Aplevich
2. Easter online Market $1870.00
April: D. Koegler, L. Edwards, C. Lacey, M. Wilson present Mothers 2 Mothers project in Lesotho.
June: STRIDE raised $10,620.00
Thank you, Connie Lacey.
September: Nola Ayers - Grandmothers’ gathering in Entebbe, Uganda in 2015.
October: Susanna Compton, Botswana 2008 ". Her book ’A Grandmother Named Love’
November:
1. SCRAMBLE: $25, 166.45 - online market, gift baskets, book & puzzle sale, crafts, baking.
2. City of Joy in the DRC. by Beth Croucher
December: SNOMAS in Waterloo Park - cookie exchange, food bank donations, carol singing

2020
February 19th: 11th Annual "Chocolate, Chat and Change" collected $830.00
June 1st - 30th: Stride to Turn the Tide $8027.00

2019
12th Annual Scrabble and Market November 10th $28,068.82 to the SLF.
Nominated KW Oktoberfest Women's Group of the Year
OFF THE WALL Art Sale May 4, 2019
Me to We Millen Woods Public School presentation
10th Annual "Chocolate, Chat and Change" collected $1,016.21 in February
8th Annual 3rd Party Fundraising Event at Boston Pizza (January 28, February 25, March 25)

2018
11th Annual Scrabble and More Benefit for Africa - November 11
OMAS 10th Anniversary Celebration - April 24
"Bohemians in Brooklyn" - April 8
7th Annual 3rd Party Fundraising Event at Boston Pizza (January 22, March 12, May 14)
9th Annual Chocolate, Chat and Change - Feb. 17

2017
10th Annual Scrabble and More Benefit for Africa - November 12
Powered by Love Book Launch - October 18
"Off the Wall" Art Sale - May 6
6th Annual 3rd Party Fundraising Event at Boston Pizza (March 6, April 26, May 29)
Cocktails n' Canvas - February 23
8th Annual Chocolate, Chat and Change - Feb. 17

2016
9th Annual SCRABBLE & MORE Benefit for Africa -November
7th Annual Chocolate, Chat and Change - Feb. 17
5th Annual 3rd Party Fundraising Event at Boston Pizza (January 18, March 7, May 16)

2015
8th Annual SCRABBLE & MORE Benefit for Africa - November 8
African Grandmothers 2013 Tribunal Meeting in Vancouver captured on video - September 29
3rd Car Trunk Sale - June 27
Creating Futures Textile Art Project Gala and Auction - May 1
CREATING FUTURES, Threads of Hope for African Grandmothers "on the road"
Kazuri Sales - thank you, Anne
6th Annual Chocolate, Chat and Change Feb. 18
4th Annual 3rd Party Fundraising Event at Boston Pizza (February 2, March 2, April 20)

2014
CREATING FUTURES, Threads of Hope for African Grandmothers "on the road"
Kazuri Sales (Fall) - Thank you Anne!
7th Annual SCRABBLE & MORE Benefit for Africa (November 9th)
Official Opening CREATING FUTURES, Threads of Hope for African Grandmothers May 25
Kazuri Sales (Spring ) Thank you, Anne!
3rd Party Fundraising Event at Boston Pizza - February 24, April 28)
5th Annual Chocolate, Chat & Change - February 19

2013
Kazuri Sale - (November 16th)
6th Annual Scrabble and More Benefit for Africa November 10
Kazuri Sale - June. Thank you, Anne!
2nd Car Trunk Sale - June 1
3rd Party Fundraising Event at Boston Pizza (March, April, May)
Kazuri Sale - Thank you Ann, Thea and Victoria Place!! - April 28
5th Anniversary Celebration (OMAS founded April 16, 2008)
4th Annual Chocolate, Chat & Change - Feb. 13
TorQ - Toronto Percussion Quartet Concert - February 9

2012
3rd Annual Chocolate, Chat and Change
3rd Party Fundraising Event at Boston Pizza
A Garden Welcome Fundraiser
Kazuri Sales
National HillTop Event - as members of GRAN
5th Annual Good Words for Africa Scrabble Benefit with Market

2011
2nd Annual Chocolate, Chat and Change
Visit from Stephen Lewis (May 2011)
Hosted the ORRG Conference (April 2011)                                                        Car Trunk Sale
Kazuri Sale
Hosted Growing the G2G Campaign in KW
Participated in AIDS Memorial Service
Mentored Afri-nanas of Cambridge
4th Annual Good Words for Africa Scrabble Benefit with Market

2010
Chocolate, Chat and Change
National Walk: Stride to Turn the Tide
Kazuri Sale
Attended Gran African Gathering
Sent representative Hilary Walsh to Swaziland Gathering
"Grandmothers' Necklace" book launch
OMAS members Carol Schmidt and Mary Ann Gilhuly: Grand Pilgrimage on the El Camino
Hosted Afrigrand Caravan
3rd annual Good Words for Africa Scrabble Benefit

2009
KW Musical Productions Fundraiser
Kazuri Sale
2nd Annual Good Words for Africa Scrabble Benefit
Founded the DRUM BEAT monthly Email newsletter

2008
April - Founded OMAS SISKONA of Kitchener-Waterloo
September - Public meeting to welcome new members
November - First Annual Good Words for Africa Scrabble Benefit

SPEAKERS and TOPICS at monthly meetings 2008 to present
Music Therapy
Patsy George - SLF Board
Mayor Brenda Halloran of Waterloo on Lesotho
Theresa Randles - ORRG
Ryan Snider -500 Years of African History in 30 Minutes
Colby Marcellus - AIDS Committee of Cambridge, K-W and Area
Kelly Galloway - My Tanzania Experience
Donna Denham - Women and Development
Helen Silbiger & Zara Mohammed - SLF G2G Campaign
Marg Spencer - OMAS Schools Project
Sharon Ogden, Grandmothers on the Grand (Fergus) "My winter in Botswana"
James Orbinski, author of An Imperfect Offering: Humanitarian Action for the 21st Century
My Experience in Africa with the SLF, Terry Wood
Ida Mukuka, SLF Field Worker
Liza Karuga, "Meet My Mother"- A Kenyan Grandmother
Eva Lukacsovics from Monica Place sharing her life in Africa in the 1990s.
Terry Wilson, African Experience with the SLF
Margie Warren & Elizabeth McNair: Experiencing Kenya
Sya Van Geest: Story Teller
David Martindale on Rotary African Women's Educational Fund (RAWEF)
Shereen El Feki, author of Sex and the Citadel, Intimate Life in a Changing Arab World
Shereen's TED Talk (Dec. 2015)
Personal Impressions of South Africa and Kibera Nigeria by OMAS Connie, Loretta & Barbara (Jan. 2016)
Carol Barnhardt of the Guelph 4 G's, Delegate from Canada to Ugandan Grandmothers gathering (April 2016)
Erla Koch: Volunteer Experience with www.cacha.ca in Shirati, Tanzania
Elizabeth McNair - Africa with the SLF 2016
2017
Jan. 2017: Theresa Randles "Keep the Drive Alive"
Feb. 2017 - Kenya - Land of Inspiring People by OMAS Margie Warren and Penny Cressman
March 2017: Robert Kruse on the Jubilee Charitable Trust
April 2017: Valerie Hill "Dream for Uganda"
May 2017: Erla Koch: “Hope Against Poverty: Women of Tanzania”
September 2017: Lee Waldorf , Policy Director for the Stephen Lewis Foundation
November 2017: Marg Stahlbaum, founder of "Books In Hands"
December 2017: Jonea Agwa (Grandmothers Campaign Liaison)
2018
January 2018: Dr Alan Whiteside OBE - Dr Alan Whiteside, CIGI Chair in GlobalHealth Policy, Balsillie School of International Affairs
March 2018: Elizabeth Ochola, PhD Candidate, Health Geography, University of Waterloo
April 2018 - Glenn Pascoe of One4Another
June 2018: Erla Koch - Shirati, Tanzania
September 2018: Sue Griggs and Linda Sadiq, “African Food For Thought” Cookbook
October 2018: Gail Rappolt - Uganda/Tanzania with SLF
2019
January 2019: Ruthanne Snider - update on
Days for Girls www.daysforgirls.org/
February 2019: Me to We Group at Millen Woods Public School.   led by teacher Stephanie Nellis
March 2019: Glenn Pascoe of One4Another
April 2019: Asmita Persaud, SLF
May 2019: Hilary Walsh, Swaziland Update
June 2019: Dr. Zajdlik, Bracelet of Hope
September 2019: Carol Barnhardt, Regional Rep Grandmothers Campaign
October 2019: Volunteering in Tanzania - Erla Koch. R Snider, Thelma Hamilton
November 2019: Blair McKay, Chair of the Board
for the Kenyan Kids Foundation Canada
December 2019: Rebecca Binnendyk: raises money for Plan International Canada

OMAS members have given presentations on SLF Projects in:
Malawi, South Africa (GAPA), Uganda, Zambia, Nairobi, Kenya and also on "Solar Engineers" and "Getting the word out", Impressions of South Africa

Since 2008, OMAS SISKONA of KW
has raised $1,005,406.00 for the
Grandmothers Campaign of the
Stephen Lewis Foundation
April 2008 - MAY 2025
_______________________________
2025 SPRING FLING $4980
_______________________________
2024 Cheese Sales $1160
2024 Weftfest Silent Auction $5711
________________________
"LET the GAMES BEGIN"
2023 $5670.00
______________________________________
CHOCOLATE, CHAT and CHANGE
2024 $955.40
2023 $1017.25
2022 $1387.00
2021 $1780.00
___________________________________
2024 Holiday Market $24,344.11
2023 Holiday Market. $26,241.41
2023 Spring Market $1787.75
2022 "Swing into Spring" $3,812.80
2022 "Favourite Things" $24,112.01
Luminaria $456.00
2021 "SCRAMBLE": $25,166.45
2020 "SCRABBLE and MARKET
COVIDLY" : $29,176.00
_________________________
"Stride to Turn the Tide"
June 2024 $3665
June 2023 $7040.00
June 2021 $10,620.00
June 2020 $8,027.00
_________________________
OFF THE WALL Art Sales
2019 $10, 000.00
2017 $10, 000.00 __________________________

April 19/23 meeting
If you wish to review the slide presentation presented
by Sya VanGeest and Theresa Randles, click below:
https://grandmotherscampaign.org
When asked for a password, type in ubuntu
In the left column, click on Tools and Resources
Scroll down to the document Diversity, Inclusion, Recruitment and Retention (DIRR): Key findings and recommendations and click on DOWNLOAD