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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday September 5, 2008 - 35 Artists help out $MOMO before Amazing Race H ello from Halla at back to school time. Children everywhere are eager to learn and lately I have been learning a lot about children. The Greek philosopher Aristotle once said the elephant was `the beast which passeth all others in wit and mind,' which was very observant of him, and I know I love to learn new things all the time. Our herd was travelling in Malawi the other day, and we passed the Consol Homes Orphan Care community centre with its Practical Joy Playground. Play, you know, is an awesome way to learn. The playground includes see-saws and swings, but also an obstacle course with a rope to climb, a parallel beam like in the Olympics, a hanging bridge, a brick wall and a slide. However, as I watched the children play, I learned that the Practical Joy Playground has an extraordinary purpose. I watched the children move on a particular route through the obstacle course and discover something about their life, as explained by a counsellor. The see-saw and swings represent carefree childhood, the rope symbolizes the death of a first parent, the beam with two bars represents the death of both parents and how the orphans have to become self-reliant. To cross the hanging bridge, the children scale the underside of the ropes, like how their lives have been turned upside. The brick wall can only be passed over when children help each other. Finally, the slide suggests the children have overcome difficulties and can pass through to a new, loving community. After passing through the obstacle course, the children openly discuss their life experiences. Consol Homes clearly helps the children link play, counselling and emotional health. How impressive is that? I think it's remarkable that a playground people in Oakville might think is just about fun, has such deep meaning for the young Malawi orphans. In the future, I will never be able to see children at a human playground in the same way. That led me to thinking about the power of art to transform lives as well. Art allows each person or elephant to interpret the visual images represented on canvas or in sculpture. You may have heard that elephants have been videotaped painting pictures of themselves, which I think is very inspiring. So, let me invite you, friends in Oakville, to come out on Saturday, Sept. 6 to the Artists's Yard Sale. You can buy something creative and beautiful, with artists selling their works from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at three locations, including: St. Simon's Anglican Church at 1450 Litchfield Rd.; the Oakville Art Society, 560 Bronte Rd.; and, at Sovereign House, 7 West River St. I hope to see you there. And, a gentle reminder, to get your team registration in to the Amazing Race Against Time coming on Sunday, Sept. 28. Both events will raise money for the Stephen Lewis Foundation to help more AIDS orphans in Africa. And, by helping young African orphans to learn together, they will be inspired to achieve much and enjoy a better future. Just like we elephants help each other in our herd. Halla is a 12-year-old female African Savannah elephant working with $Million or More Oakville ($MOMO) to support the Stephen Lewis Foundation and the fight against AIDS in Africa. For more information: visit www.millionormoreslf.ca, or phone 905 469 6415. -- Submitted by $Million or More Oakville