Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - February 22, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba Learn more at wpgfdn.org For Good. Forever Where your gifts keep on giving Neighbours’ annual calendar shares love of their cats and raised more than $20,000 Feline fundraiser on Langside W INNIPEG’S Langside Street is a place of community and creativity. Susan Holm has lived in the West Broadway area, with its rich and diverse history, for 25 years and appre- ciates her home and the many connec- tions she continually makes. “The sense of community is so great,” said the psychologist. “I have such good neighbours. I think there’s just a lot of people who have been here for a long time.” Holm is also fond of her many feline neighbours, who can be spotted roam- ing Langside in all colours, shapes and sizes, gazing out windows, lounging on decks or frolicking in their backyards. “There were so many strays when I first started living here. My son and daughter-in-law have two cats who were born in the back lane,” said Holm. What began with an off-hand com- ment from a neighbour — “Oh, the cats of Langside should have their own calendar” — inspired Holm to launch a community-minded art project. The first Cats of Langside calendar was printed in 2022 and has continued to grow in popu- larity ever since, with proceeds contrib- uting to the work of several non-profit community organizations. Holm has always had at least one cat in her home, and currently lives with two. “I don’t know all the neighbours on the street but everyone knows Archie,” she said about her friendly orange cat who delights in greeting everyone who visits. Both Archie and his sister Apache were rescue cats and are fea- tured in the 2025 calendar. “I think cats are all so unique and I think people misunderstand them a lot. I think they’re quite empathic crea- tures, very affectionate, they’re just a lot of fun,” Holm said. Holm invited her nearby neighbours, a mother and her cat-loving daughter, to be involved. “Yafa (nine or 10 at the time), en- joyed playing with my cats a lot, so we were often having conversations about them. When the idea for the calendar was formed, I asked her if she’d like to make it with me. In the first year, a few of the photos were hers, and at that time more were mine, plus other neigh- bours contributed. We also included her art. I then had the idea to try and do a fundraiser,” Holm said, adding the collaboration has continued. “In the fall, she and I meet and go over all the photos from the year, hers, mine and other contributing neigh- bours. We choose the photos and assign the months. Then I work with my sister-in-law in Ontario, who does all the design, pro bono.” Over the last four years Yafa, now 13 and the project’s youngest volunteer, has contributed more and more photos, and this year, most of the calendar’s images are hers with a few from other Langside residents. “The marketing is now mostly done by Yafa’s mom, Janet, who has become very enthusiastic about the project, and myself,” Holm said. “Other neighbours have been supportive and have promot- ed the calendar, and we’re pretty happy about our community. Our community partners are also quite enthusiastic.” Through the sale of the calendars since 2022, the group has raised more than $20,000. “I feel it’s great. I believe very much in community and philanthropy,” said Holm. “Yafa did summer programming with Art City when she was growing up. It’s literally around the corner from us, so we decided to aim the mon- ey there (the first year).” Subsequent donations have been made to Resource Assistance for Youth (RaY), a resource and programming centre on Sherbrook Street, and Sun- shine House, a Logan Avenue drop-in space focused on harm reduction and social inclusion. “The thing that we love about it is that we see that it brings joy. Even the businesses that sell the calendars are all excited about it every year. It just makes everyone happy. Cats are happy things,” Holm said, adding she recently encountered a familiar face at a bakery. “I’m like, ‘That’s my cat Archie!’” The Cats of Langside calendar will continue as long as neighbours maintain the same level of enthusiasm. Holm said they’ve been extremely supportive, with one neighbour selling 18 calendars every year and another neighbour buying 11 yearly to give away as gifts. Talks have already be- gun about a calendar for next year. “Honestly during the pandemic, who did you talk to?” Holm asked. “Your neighbours, when you were out in the yard, and you talked about what the cats were up to. “I just believe in community. Those little interactions mean a lot, the person at the corner store, that sort of thing. Anything that brings people together is just wonderful. It gives you a warm feeling to be able to support these community organizations that are doing really good work.” Follow the cats on Instagram (@ catsoflangside) and email catsoflang- side@outlook.com to purchase a 2025 calendar. fpcity@freepress.mb.ca JANINE LEGAL MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Susan Holm, one of the Cats of Langside calendar founders, with neighbouring cat Foxy. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS The 2025 Cats of Langside calendar A16 SATURDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2025 ● CITYDESK@FREEPRESS.MB.CA ● WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM PHILANTHROPY PHILANTHROPY NEWS BRIEFS Wiigiishin Giiwiigeenahn (help me help you, Ojibwa translation) is a one-hour community walk that starts at the Pitikwé Skate Park at Portage Place every Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m., then winds its way via Portage, Graham, Smith and Ellice, all the way back to behind Portage Place. Donations gratefully received for hot beverages, soup and supplies for those in need. Follow Wiigiishin Giiwii- geenahn on Instagram and Facebook. Sunshine House and the Mobile Overdose Prevention Site (MOPS) are in need of supplies, including socks, shoes, boots, gloves, mitts, toques, scarves, jackets, sweatshirts, long underwear, backpacks, shampoo and conditioner, bar soap, razors, deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste, menstrual supplies and non-perishable food items for the community pantry. Make a drop-off appointment at calendly.com/sunshinehouse/ dropoff. Online donations can be made at sunshinehousewpg.org/donate or in-person or by mail via Sunshine House Inc., 646 Logan Ave., R3A 0S7. Tax receipts will be issued. Call 204-783-8565. Help Harvest Manitoba fight hunger. Tens of thousands of families, children, infants and seniors visit food banks monthly and rely on your generous donations. School programs, soup kitchens, day cares and everyday people are facing daily struggles to put food on the table. Donations by phone: 204-982-3581. Donations by EFT or pre-authorized debit payments: donations@harvestmanitoba.ca. Donations in person: Harvest Manitoba, 1085 Winnipeg Ave. 6 Years of Second Chances, a Tails of Freedom Rescue Inc. event to raise funds and aware- ness, will be held Saturday, March 8, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Deer Lodge Community Centre, 323 Bruce Street. Admission is $2 or two cans of cat food. Goodie bags for the first 100 people. The event will include at least 15 vendors, silent auction, bake sale and 50/50 draw. More information via email to tailsoffreedomrescue@gmail.com or go to tailsoffreedomrescueinc.com. ;