Exciting fall at Hope Bridges

Melissa Strle
Times Reporter

 

This fall promises to be a good one for the Hope Bridges Society as it celebrates its 11th year and strives to promote inclusiveness and a sense of community by creating connections for all adults through the use of art.
Society coordinator Wanda Reinholdt said there will be a wide variety of interesting fall workshops ranging from weekly to monthly programming. The society will also feature additional shorter workshops offered in one to four sessions and participants can sign up for as many sessions as they want.
A new feature this year is a monthly workshop titled Paint & Refresh. Attendees will be able to paint a picture on canvas and the society will provide fun refreshments. There will be step-by-step facilitation.
The society will bring back the drumming circle this fall after a couple of year’s absence, and will provide a type of adaptive drumming that takes into consideration where an individual is at with their background and experience.
Go Green Upcycling is a popular workshop that transforms regular household items into beautiful pieces of art and this workshop will be offered weekly.
JB Music Therapy will also be facilitating a weekly workshop titled Sing (& Play) Your High Note. This workshop enables participants a chance to share their favourite music and sing as part of a group.
Knitting and crocheting folk art will be offered on a bi-weekly basis, and other shorter workshops offered will include hand-made pottery, understanding your camera, portrait photography and zentangle.
All workshops are presented in such a way that the novice up to the experienced artist can easily learn and enjoy the experience.
“We use art as a tool to connect and bring adults together,” Reinholdt said.
Hope Bridges will also be conducting its annual community project and this year the chosen project is creating two vintage bikes. Go Green Upcycling and knitting and crocheting will partner to paint and “yarn bomb” these vintage bikes. The two bikes will then be auctioned off at the annual auction fundraiser in April 2017.
Prior to this, the society plans on raising money by offering the opportunity to ride the bikes for a $2 fee in March 2017.
In its fifth year of regular programming, Hope Bridges Society prides itself in maintaining affordable prices for workshops, ranging from $15-$45.
Reinholdt is pleased with the sense of community the society has created and also pleased with the support received from the Town of Strathmore and Wheatland County.
“It is definitely a warm and welcoming community that is encouraging people and breaking down the barriers of isolation,” she said.
The society is also providing workshops in rural communities this fall. Pottery is planned for Standard and Rockyford, while Hussar will feature zentangle.
For more information on the upcoming programs or to register, call 403-983-3640 or visit the website at hopebridges.ca.