Islands’ Special People: Judy Boos - Giving to the world’s kids

Issue Date: 2010-01-22

Trudy Arndt-Harrison

Maple Ridge & Pender resident Vice-President, Soroptimist Intl. Ridge Meadows

Our heartfelt THANKS goes to one of
Pender Island's most charitable “Golden
Girls,” JUDY BOOS. Through her
extraordinary quilting efforts, the Rwandan
P.R.E.F.E.R. (Poverty Reduction, Education
and Family Empowerment in Rwanda)
project fund raiser held in Maple Ridge on
November 21st, 2009, was a resounding
success. Judy made a significant
contribution to our African quilt raffle and
helped us raise $19,000 to provide a “hand
up” to needy Rwandan kids.
Judy is a member of the High Tea Satellite
group of the Pender Island Quilters Guild.
She made her first quilt 25 years ago. In 2009,
she spent approximately 50 hours creating a
fabulous bed quilt, matching pillowcases and
accompanying table runners from African
material for our Soroptimist Ridge Meadows
fund raiser. She did not hesitate to take on this
commitment in support of the Rwandan
children.

In 2009, Rwanda P.R.E.F.E.R. built a
preschool for over 100 two to six year olds
through word-of-mouth, in Canada and
abroad. A school kitchen to serve breakfast
to starving youngsters was still needed, as
was an upgrading to the cement holes in the
outhouses which constituted bathrooms.
With Judy's help, Soroptimist Ridge
Meadows raised enough funds to complete
these P.R.E.F.E.R. projects, and allocate
funds to expand educational programs to
teenage street children and sponsor other
women-girl project initiatives.
In a poor, genocide-ravaged country like
Rwanda, these funds go much farther than
they would here in Canada. The average
Rwandan wage is $1 US per day. $30 US
buys a goat, which can change the life of
an entire family. $110 US buys a sewing
machine which can be used to train young
women to sew and offer them a means to
support their families.

Our thanks also goes out to all
Penderites who purchased quilt
r a ff l e t i c k e t s a n d d i r e c t l y
contributed to this Rwanda project.
Once again, I am smitten by the
kindness and generosity of our
Islanders in reaching out to
disadvantaged kids half way around
the world.
Our hearts continue to extend beyond ourselves and our island.
THANK YOU, Judy and Pender
Island in making an impactful and
meaningful difference in the lives
of others.
( For more information on Rwanda
P.R.E.F.E.R., feel free to go to
www.prefercanada.org).