Friendly bidding war over peace doves

Shri Hill holds her newly acquired silent auction item ‘Peace Sunrise’ painted by Jonathan Hoskins, in front of some of the doves that were available at the live auction. Sarah Holmes photo

Sarah Holmes

Sounder News

People for a Healthy Community (PHC) hosted the Artists for Peace charity auction fundraiser on Saturday, September 20th at the Community Hall, raising $8,000 for PHC’s Food and Outreach Programs.

The fundraiser provided the public the opportunity to bid on original works of art created by local artists, through silent auction & live auction bidding.

More than 40 local artists contributed their interpretations of peace on the iconic wooden white dove —a symbol of BC’s peace movement since the early 1980s. In addition to the wooden doves, there was a peace quilt, created by the members of the Gabriola Quilters.

The art was first displayed at the Gabriola branch of the Vancouver Island Regional Library before being put up for the auctions.

Setting the stage for the event was Executive Director Christina Rajsic, who expressed how blessed and lucky we are to be living in a beautiful and peaceful place on Gabriola, and in Canada, compared to millions around the globe. Rajsic expressed feeling helpless when seeing, “the desperate hunger and starvation from conscious action and active discrimination in Gaza and other parts of the world.”

She looks to local action as how People for a Healthy Community can bring hope and support the needs of our community.

Providing support for members of our community in forms of food, support finding shelter, someone to talk to, caregiver support, transportation to medical care, and a sense of belonging, are ways PHC continues to make a positive local impact.

Rajsic quoted the 1949 words of John Boyd Orr displayed on a plaque at the Nobel Peace Centre.

“We must conquer hunger and want, because hunger and want in the midst of plenty are a fatal flaw and a blot on our civilization. They are one of the fundamental causes of war.”

Auctioneer Graham Bradley holds forth during the live auction at the PHC Peace Doves fundraiser. Sarah Holmes photo.