SURREY - Valentine's Day will be a special one for two local "grandmothers" groups planning events in celebration of Random Acts of Kindness Week, observed internationally from Feb. 10 to 16.
The groups, among 240 of similar nature located across Canada, work with the Stephen Lewis Foundation to support grandmothers in sub-Saharan Africa who care for children left orphaned by the HIV/AIDS pandemic there.Locally, the Oneness Gogos of South Surrey/White Rock and the Fleetwood-based group Ubuntu Ogogo are combining forces during Kindness Week to support the efforts of Surrey Women's Centre and Sources Women's Place.Members of the "gogo" groups are collecting baskets of toiletries to donate to the organizations, who in turn will give the items to women coping with violence, trauma and poverty. The baskets will be presented on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14 - first at Surrey Women's Centre in Whalley, at 1 p.m., followed at 3 p.m. by a visit to the South Surrey hub of Sources Women's Place.Additional toiletries will be collected (for delivery at a later date) at a "Gogo with the Gogos" fundraiser dance, featuring the music of the Timewalkers band on Feb. 27 at Crescent Beach Legion. For event info and tickets (priced at $25 each), call Penny at 604-542-4775.