Jump into spring with Hope Bridges

Shannon LeClair
Times Reporter

 

Spring is almost here and that means Hope Bridges Society is ready to accept participants for their spring programs. The weekly Sing Your High Notes will be continuing at the hospital on Tuesday afternoons, and Up-Cycling will also continue on Thursday mornings at the Hope Bridges Studio.
There are a few new things coming this spring. At the Strathmore Parent Link Centre, the third Wednesday evening of every month there will be Up-Cycling from 7-9 p.m. Up-cycling is taking recycled materials and turning them into art.
The Painted Quilt Bees just wrapped up round two and this spring and summer it will be moving to become weekend bees on Saturdays from 10-5 p.m. Participants can complete one quilt in five to six hours on a Saturday. This project idea was the winner of the 2014 ‘Let’s Make a Pitch’ event and is free to the public thanks to sponsors of the event.
“March 31 is the introduction to Zentangle (in Strathmore) and then April 14 is the intermediate. You have to take the introduction to take the intermediate,” said Hope Bridges Coordinator Wanda Reinholdt.
An introduction to Zentangle is also coming to Rockyford & District Municipal Library, thanks to a partnership between the library, Hope Bridges and community connections, on April 28.
“We’re developing relationships and opportunities in the county, and working with county leaders in each of the communities to find the best artistic opportunity for each community. This is going to take time because each community has unique needs and desires,” said Reinholdt.
Zentangle is easy for everyone to learn. It’s repetitive art, and people who practice it tend to relax and relieve stress.
Another new program coming thanks to Hope Bridges is the Photography Tips which will run May 30 in Strathmore from 1-4 p.m. and June 6 from 1-4 p.m. in a to be determined county locations.
In addition to the regular registration info, the facilitator Kenzie Kettenbach, a Rockyford resident, would also like to know what types of cameras people will be bringing so that she can prepare.
“We’re also accepting donations from artists for our annual art auction which is happening April 25,” said Reinholdt.
The Art Auction will be held at the Strathmore Golf Club, and tickets are $20
All of the programs are accessible to all adults of all abilities and skill levels. To pre-register for one of the programs, or purchase tickets for the auction, call the Hope Bridges Society at 403-983-3640.