When Candace Mahaffey, women’s coordinator for the diocese of Athabasca, three years ago developed a logo for the diocesan women’s group, she never dreamed it would become part of a diocesan-wide fundraiser.
For 28 years, the women have met annually at different locations for fun, fellowship and spiritual renewal. Two years ago, women from the isolated native community of Fort Chipewyan asked if the meeting could come to them. Each year, they had to raise money by catering suppers in their town to allow them to attend.
Fort Chipewyan is located in northeastern Alberta, about 100 kilometers south of the Northwest Territories’ border. It is only accessible by air and winter road when the Athabasca River freezes. St. Paul’s Anglican church, the oldest Anglican church in Alberta, has operated there since 1884.
To make Fort Chipewyan a viable location for this annual conference, some ways to reduce the costs needed to be found. More than $2,700 was raised from the sale of the tote bags and pendants with the new women’s group logo.
