Annie Macguffie Sells Treasures As Fundraiser for Thailand Orphanages

& ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT GULF ISLANDSA DRIFTWOOD ▲ WEDNESDAY, E DECEMBER 1, 2004 ▲ PAGE B1 Annie MacGuffie sells treasures as fundraiser for Thailand orphanages By ELLEN YEUNG including a five-year-old, Mekong River. The myth is place, visitors can receive Staff Writer were found living on the that anyone who sees the Nga information about the pieces Salt Spring bodyworker streets. emerge from the Mekong directly. Annie MacGuffie started When MacGuffie returned during a full moon will have “Each item has its own going to Thailand six years to Salt Spring last year, she an auspicious life. unique history,” she said. ago to train in Thai mas- managed to raise more than MacGuffie has also “It’s so much richer to have sage. Through these trips, $1,600 through a poetry brought back rare porce- a conversation with some- her appreciation for the Thai reading and a raffle at a craft lain boxes from Laos that body. There’s so much I people and culture inten- fair, with items donated by are about 100 years old and know about the background sified to the point that she local businesses. originally from China. Plus, of the things I’ve brought knew she needed to give However, she found that she is selling burl wood back.” something back. method of fundraising boxes, whose wood Thai Money raised this year will Therefore, MacGuffie exhausting. Instead, she is workers had to acquire in go toward Sarnelli House in began volunteering three using as much savings as she Laos because burl wood is northeast Thailand to con- winters ago at Thai orphan- can spare to purchase special an endangered species in struct a building for nursery- ages that were originally for items principally from Thai- Thailand. aged children. children whose parents had land and a few from Laos As well, she is selling wall Sarnelli House has grown died from HIV/AIDS. to sell. hangings that were originally to help more than just chil- “We are so incredibly for- MacGuffie is not describ- headdresses for ceremonial dren orphaned by HIV/AIDS. tunate here. I know there are ing the process as mere sell- occasions. They’re woven It now has a school, church a lot of poor people in Cana- ing though. in silk and gold thread with and three separate buildings da and in the West but there “I’m asking people to give an attached long black cloth to house children of different are government agencies so a donation and they’re tak- that ends in long silk tassels. age groups. It also runs an nobody needs to die on the ing away something know- “Some of the things are outreach program providing streets, whereas you can see ing that they’ve donated,” really expensive because of work to young women who that happening in the East,” she said. their rarity and often their were prostitutes and con- MacGuffie said. “It’s not a She brought back a wide age, and the fact people tracted HIV or AIDS. simple case of, ‘Well, their range of items, from inex- wouldn’t have been able to When MacGuffie volun- government should help.’ If pensive knick knacks to rare find them even if they had teered there, she worked their government is not, and antiques. They include hair gone [to those countries],” with a one-and-a-half year- it’s in your face, you want to accessories, socks, bags, MacGuffie said. old girl who had meningitis. do something to help those cushions, apparel, pottery, She managed to acquire She also accompanied a 16- people who are trying to give carvings and wall hangings. them by getting off the beat- year-old girl with full-blown them a better life.” One valuable antique is en track and developing con- AIDS and tuberculosis to the When an orphanage called an exquisitely carved soap- tacts with people who found village. Imjai House in northwest stone box depicting the Nga the pieces for her. THAI TREASURES: Annie MacGuffie displays the Thailand first opened, for god, which is a huge serpent And by visiting MacGuff- many beautiful items she has for sale from Thailand example, all of the kids, with wings that lives in the ie at her home and work- FUNDRAISER B3 as part of an orphanage fundraiser. Photo by Derrick Lundy �� $3495 �� B2 ▲ WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2004 GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD �� GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2004 ▲ B3 Holy Greek tragedy, Batman By ANDREA They are not skilled enough RABINOVITCH to push and therefore play Driftwood Contributor with that dichotomy, or else Remember those “BOPS” maintain the honesty of the �� and “POWS” of mid-‘60s script by playing it straight. television favourite Batman The story may sound and Robin? Adam West and convoluted but the cast �� his sidekick pranced about enabled our understanding �� looking for crime to fight, of the plot. and gadgets to use, with Elektra (Amber Lewis) Alfred there to support. hates her mother Clyme- �� Same bat time . same bat nestra (Rosanne Leonoff) �� channel? because Mommie Dearest That cartoon’s over-the has murdered her father top acting was fabulous, Agamemnon in order to pop culture at its finest. It be with her lover Aegisthis giss drama presents: introduced me to camp and (Charles Wilton), the person I will be forever grateful. who committed the actual The Woodruff Sisters Pro- deed. ductions of classicist/poet Her brother Orestes Anne Cameron’s translation (Stewart Katz), who has of Electra by Sophocles been separated from the entitled Elektra unintention- family and raised by Paeda- ally had that same quality. gogus (Vaughn Fulford), In Greek tragedy, I’m devises a plot whereby they not sure that’s such a great say that Orestes has been THE REAL INSPECTOR HOUND thing. killed, so leaving the evil A staged reading, where household unaware and & Monologues the actors hold scripts but open for attack. th th maintain blocking (walk- Elektra’s sister Chrysothe- ArtSpring • Dec. 6 & 7 • 8pm • $10 SINGING ON SATURDAY: Dave Vollrath plays the ing about the stage) with mis (Kristen Woodruff) does guitar and sings at the One Sheep reading of Myrna minimal sets and costumes, not have the resolve and can be a hard go. strength of her sister, point- Boyd’s story and musical event held Saturday after- It’s difficult to read, stay ing to Elektra’s ultimate noon at All Saints. Photo by Derrick Lundy in the moment and propel destruction of her psyche the action forward with the through revenge. � �� other actors. The Greek chorus of one �� FUNDRAISER If the actor doesn’t know (Tessa Woodruff) acts as the �� From Page B1 how to do this and the direc- catalyst to Elektra, initiating �� “She was missing her zations, the orphanages have tor isn’t helping them, the the speeches that describe mother and had to be sent a Christmas tree but no orna- result is a master thespian Elektra’s inner world. �� north for her own safety,” ments, so Salt Spring stu- aggrandizement of every Pylades (Robert Mac- �� MacGuffie said. “There are dents plan to send each Thai line. Consequently, the Donald) opens the play �� lots of really sad stories but child an ornament. language gets lost and that’s with a physical metaphor of the kids are just like other MacGuffie has also a darn shame as this transla- chopping a block of wood kids. All they need is for received island artists’ donation might be brilliant. It’s signifying Agamemnon, the somebody to take an interest tions, including paintings, hard to say as the acting was mighty oak, being cut down. in them.” jewellery, CDs, pottery and getting in the way of the Lewis is a fine young �� Although MacGuffie photography for a future text. actress who needs to realize �� didn’t speak Thai, she man- raffle. Well-lauded and cult-sta- her potential with play- �� aged to bond with the chil- Anyone interested in tused, Anne Cameron has ers who encourage her to dren at Sarnelli and Imjai viewing items

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