By Seth DuChene
Editor
Everyone has a story to tell, and the Lennox and Addington Women’s Institute is inviting them to tell it.
The local WI is spearheading the community’s participation the Art Tree Project, a Canada-wide initiative urging schools, churches, teams, clubs or organizations to get creative and tell their stories with a ‘tree’ themed poster.
Once completed, the posters will be part of a showcase on Sept. 30 in conjuction with Culture Days festivities on the same weekend, although those organizations are free to display their posters whenever they want, wherever they want, before or after that date.
“It was actually initiated by a Women’s Institute member in Renfrew, and it’s just gone Canada-wide, and endorsed by Heritage Canada. I just thought I would come on board and do one for Women’s Institute and see how many other groups would like to take part,” said Valerie Smith of the L&A Women’s Institute who is helping to organize the local Art Tree Project effort.
She says she’s been in contact with about 90 local organizations asking them if they’d like to take part. So far, she’s had about 10 confirm their participation, and a number of others who have expressed an interest.
The posters are typically two feet by three feet in size, and should be a variation on a tree theme. You can find creative ideas at www.arttreeproject.ca.
“We’ve done ours very simply,” Smith says of the L&A WI’s poster. “We didn’t want people to have to stand in front of it and do a lot of reading, so that’s the trick: to tell your story in as few words as possible.”
Those who plan on coming up with their own ‘trees’ should contact Smith to confirm their participation at 613-354-1115 or at valerieasmith73@gmail.com.