A Message from Our Honourary Chair - Sally Armstrong

What a brilliant idea to invite Oakville residents to stand up together and respond to this terrible crisis in Africa . I was in South Africa and Swaziland this past year writing reports on various projects that the Stephen Lewis Foundation is supporting and I can tell you as an eye witness that the work they are doing is precisely the remedy required.

It's so easy to ignore Africa , a faraway place that never seems to get much positive attention. And while not to forget our own causes right here at home that require action, this is a rallying cry for support in addition to what we, individually and collectively already do for our own local and national charities. It's apparent particularly from the achievements of the oomama women here in Oakville that we have the additional ability to help people who so badly need the kindness of strangers. The Grandmother to Grandmother initiative is effective as well as efficient. It's a clever response to a massive problem.

While getting to know the women who are trying to cope with so much death and illness, I realized how much we are the same. Their babies also get croup. Their kids also forget to do their homework. Their teenagers also drive them crazy from time to time. But in the case of HIV/AIDS ravaged Africa , the caregivers are Grandmothers because so many of the parents are dead. Imagine taking care of newborns and prickly teenagers when you're 70 years old. Imagine being denied the drug that will keep your grandchild alive. Imagine being stigmatized and shunned by your community or having your house burned down because your family members are sick.

A lot of people the world over have thrown their hands in the air and left the Africans to their fate. It doesn't have to be that way. Stephen Lewis has a plan that works. What his foundation needs is money to put it into action. That requires grace - our grace - to come up to the deck and do what we can to turn this Titanic around.

I'm very proud to be the honorary chair of the Million or More Campaign and look forward to working with all of you.

Best Wishes,

Sally Armstrong