Events

EVENTS and ACTIVITIES

We are thinking globally and acting locally. Many of our activities involve fundraising - all for the purpose of supporting the Grandmothers Campaign of the Stephen Lewis Foundation. We also reach out into the community by speaking in schools, churches and retirement residences. Since 2006 Grassroot Grannies have raised $1,319,000 for the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

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We are always very grateful to our community supporters.

Canadian grannies

supporting

African grannies

The Grassroot Grannies

16th Ride to Turn the Tide

September 3th-4th 2025

Fundraising Events for 2025

Grassroot Grannies

Plant Sale and Market Place

Enthusiastic customers make it the most successful Plant Sale and Marketplace ever.

"It was my first time attending the plant fundraiser to support African women and children through grassroot grannies. My girlfriend and I enjoyed the friendliness of the ladies as we chose plants for our gardens and some collectables for sale on the front lawn. Thank you for all your work and effort over the years. Happy to hear about this and come and give our support. Cheers, Susie and Laurie with our thanks and blessings! A wonderful effort and cause!"

Enthusiastic customers

Support from local representatives

A Message from the Co-Chairs

2025 Plant Sale and Marketplace will go down in our history book as the best ever. $9360 was raised for the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

Other members have used the words “awesome”, “well greased machine” and smoothly and efficiently run. Everyone seems to know how and where to fill in, help out and generally keep things moving along with a friendly smile and a generous attitude. We are a team, with some strong leadership and helping hands. Everyone should be congratulated on a job well done. The collaboration of the set up and take down crew, the table setters, the plant organizers, the sign people, the bakers and coffee makers. The cashiers, the market place artists and coordinators , the card makers and raffle team and all the helping hands that made it work. MADE IT WORK.

A huge thank you to everyone involved.

Karen and Stella

Grassroot Grannies and Grand-Others get together to organize the day before the plant sale.

A Super Venue for the event

Getting up the sign

Arranging the cards

Pricing Marketplace items

Sorting the plants

Organizing the Marketplace tables

There was a line-up before 8:00 am.

There were plants for sun and shade, vegetables and herbs.

Successful Shoppers!

First-time customer feedback

Kanata-Carleton MPP Karen McCrimmon with Lina Hallé and Ann Williams.

Kanata North municipal counsellor Cathy Curry arrived early and waited in line.

Donations:/Sponsors

Loblaws

Home Depot

Rona

Beyond Beauty salon

Bushtukah

Kanata Golf and Country Club

Ferme Lève Tôt

Ritchie Feed and Seed

Richmond Nurseries

Whitehouse Perennials

Ramsay Creek Nurseries

Aquatopia Water Gardens

The Plant Sale and Marketplace would not be a success without the help, support and expertise of many people. First of all, many thanks to Carole and Arnie Redmond for the use of their wonderful property to stage the event.

Local businesses donated plants, gift cards and gift packages for the plant sale and raffle.

There are also many Grannies and friends who dig up. pot and donate plants for the sale. A special mention goes to Carole and Phil Reilly who have made substantial plant donations to the Grassroot Grannies for many years. Also many thanks to annie Creighton who donated her expertise as a Master Gardener.

Many thanks are owing to Doug Legère who made wooden birdhouses, plant stands, decorative fences and owls. Kudos to Bob Trenholm who made a variety of wooden garden items as well as beautiful trellises.

Many Thanks

Grassroot Grannies enjoying a successful day

Organizing "Pretty Pots"

Our first ever Fall Author Event proved to be very successful . The Grassroot Grannies raised more money by changing the format. The committee, under the leadership of Nancy Hough wanted to keep the most popular aspects of the Books, Crafts and Coffee event while appealing to a wider audience. Selling our home-made crafts and catching up with good friends over coffee and baked goodies is an essential part of the event. It was our most successful fall book event ever!

Brett Popplewell is a bestselling author and associate professor of journalism at Carleton University in Ottawa. He spoke to the group about his book Outsider, An Old Man, A Mountain and the Search fo a Hidden Past.

Brett is a very entertaining speaker who talked about his developing relationship with Dag Aabye, an extreme skier living in the BC wilderness who drives himself to extreme physical accomplishments. This remarkably readable book challenges us to question our attitude to aging. The book also delves into his mysterious background in Norway. Highly recommended!

$4950 raised for the Stephen Lewis Foundation from our first Fall Author Event!

The author and the book

Baked Treats

Grassroot Grannies were busy ahead of time baking dozens of cookies and squares for the Fall Author Event.

Guests enjoyed the coffee, cookies and squares as they socialized after the book presentation. Kudos to the great bakers who contributed so generously to the event. Grannies set aside a selection of baked cookies and squares for sale to our guests.

Ute Webb and Shirley Mander at the baked goods table.

Craft Tables

Many talented Grannies and Grand-Others spend a great deal of time and creativity making crafts for sale at our various events. One example is the beautiful hand-crafted wooden Christmas trees and tree ornaments. Thanks to Bob Trenholm and his wood-working skills!

Lina Hallé with her dispplay of Christmas ornaments.

An Williams with an array of useful items crafted by Grassroot Grannies.

Kanata North Municipal Councillor Cathy Curry with Judy Hansen.

"I had an incredible afternoon at the sold-out book reading event with the Grassroot Grannies. Thank you to Nancy Hough and all the amazing “grannies” for their hard work and dedication in organizing such a successful event. The Grannies do incredible work in our community in support of other “grannies” in Africa."

Quoted from the Kanata North Newsletter, November 14th

Grassroot Grannies' Fall Book Event

Marg Terrett with her hand-made gnomes.

Coffee provided by

Special Thanks to Perfect Books

"I am delighted to support the Grannies as I have been aware of their fundraising efforts for many years and it’s an honour to support their efforts. Some are old friends and others are former colleagues so the event was like a reunion of sorts."

Jim Sherman

Many thanks to Jim Sherman of Perfect Books for working with Nancy Hough and the committee to find a great book and organize an author to speak at the first Grassroot Grannies Fall Author Event.

Jim donated a percentage of the profit from the sale of the books to the group. Outsider proved to be very popular and he sold all 58 books!

Perfect Books at 258A Elgin Street, Ottawa, Ontario

Tel: 613-231-6468

www.perfectbooks.ca

An Amazing Achievement!

In the 16 years of the Ride to Turn the Tide, the Grassroot Grannies have raised $1,037,474 for the Stephen Lewis Foundation. The final total raised this year is $61,168. Thanks to all riders both this year and in past years for making this tremendous achievement possible.

To Diana, the Heart of the Ride to Turn the Tide

In the evening's light, so soft, so wide,

Cyclists roll in from the countryside,

And there, at the door, with welcoming smiles,

Diana and her crew greet us after many miles.

The house and its garden, a stunning home,

Where bikers and their helpers are free to roam.

The river flows by in the day’s twilight,

Chatter and laughter flow into the night.

Diana’s elegance shines in every gesture,

Her hospitality, a treasured measure.

In her presence, we are treated like stars,

Glimmering bright beneath our scars.

The food, a feast beyond compare,

Each bite a memory, rich and rare.

The laughter flows, the bonds grow tight,

As Diana's warmth ignites the night.

Her crew, a team of joy and care,

Wrap us in kindness, pure and fair.

Every moment feels like a song,

Where the heart beats fast, and we belong.

With warmth and awe in their every word,

They think we’ve done feats that most have not heard.

Yes, we, Grassroot Grannies are still alive,

Raising money so African grandmas can survive.

So here's to Diana, and all of her crew,

To the love and friendship old and new.

Lanark County Grannies are still alive

Raising money so African children can thrive.

This year 17 cyclists participated in the 16th Ride to Turn the Tide. Two rode the route ahead of time and 15 cyclists selected either a shorter or longer route to Perth where the group stayed the night.

Fifteen cyclists at the motel in Perth

All riders look forward to the lunch stops. Those cycling the longer route to Perth are hosted in Merrickville at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church by women from the church. Cyclists who have chosen the shorter route are provided a picnic lunch in Carleton Place by their support team. On the second day of cycling through Almonte, members of the disbanded Mississippi Grannies host a lunch for all the cyclists at the Almonte United church.

Lunch Stops

The Highlight of the Ride

The highlight of the Ride to Turn the Tide is dinner at Diana Bracegirdle's beautiful home on the Tay River in Perth. A lavish buffet dinner is provided by the Lanark County Grannies. Luckily the weather is usually cooperative and riders enjoy their dinner at tables set up outside in the garden overlooking the river. This year Stella Val read a poem to express our appreciation for the wonderful hospitality extended to the Grassroot Grannies over the years. Many, many thanks to Diana and her team.