Lola’s art

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BY STACIE GAETZ

“Lola was a casualty of both the pandemic and the polar vortex, so her survival, recovery and growth is a feel-good story that people can celebrate and get a daily laugh from”

Asituation involving an unlucky baby goat and a polar vortex that could have ended in tragedy unpredictably resulted in an opportunity to raise money for a worthy local cause.

Lola the Goat (as she was later named) and her brother Sad Gary were found orphaned on Feb. 3, 2021, near the stable where Sharon Shuttleworth and her husband Wayne board their horse.

When she heard of the orphaned and freezing animal, Shuttleworth knew she could use her farming knowledge to give it the best chance of survival by bringing it to her home in Balzac.

“I thought we were prepared in that way to do all that we could, so we took the tiniest, coldest baby goat because we honestly felt her best chance might be with us. Plus, we were prepared that she might not make it,” says Shuttleworth.

“We just lost our beloved dog, and that day I didn’t think I’d be able to laugh for a very long time. Lola had us in stitches that very afternoon.”

It turns out the feisty goat brought joy to many people, not just those who took her in.

Shuttleworth is a member of Studio 52, a grassroots Airdrie artist group comprised of four visual artists and a writer, and she realized she could use Lola’s popularity to raise money for the Airdrie Health Foundation (AHF), which supports mental health and other urgent needs in the community.

“Right from the day we brought her home, I’ve made daily Facebook posts about her,” says Shuttleworth.

“She had between 50 and 70 people reading her story every day. Increasingly, they started commenting about how much she was helping them deal with a pandemic.” THE PROJECT The members of Studio 52 developed The Lola Project by creating pieces of art depicting Lola, which they will sell, donating all proceeds to the AHF.

There will also be a number of other items up for sale including a children’s book, greeting cards, coffee mugs, T-shirts and more.

“We have sourced local suppliers to help spread the business around yet keep it in our own community,” says Shuttleworth.

Chandra Hoffman, marketing and communications co-ordinator with AHF, says she is excited for the organization to be the recipient of money raised through this unique initiative.

“Lola has been making quite an impact on people and lifting spirits of those she meets,” says Hoffman.

“So many other local supporters have jumped on board due to seeing the videos and social posts, or meeting Lola out in the community.”

She adds that the funds will fittingly assist mothers and other “kids” as the money will be used for the AHF’s Pregnancy & Beyond Program that supports more than 100 high-risk mothers each year to help them gain resiliency, foster healthy early child development, and teach postpartum coping skills.

“The Airdrie Health Foundation continues to advocate for enhanced health care to meet our highest priority needs in Airdrie and the smaller surrounding communities,” says AHF board chair Ryan Thompson.

Cindy Zampa, founding member of Studio 52, says AHF is an incredibly valuable resource, which provides support to the community by addressing urgent health needs.

“The pandemic has stressed many people in multiple ways, including health, finances, emotional and mental well-being. We’d like to assist in whatever way we can to help the Airdrie Health Foundation do what they do best which, in turn, strengthens our community.”

She adds their goal is to raise $1,000 for the organization but she hopes they can raise even more.

RAY OF JOY “Lola was a casualty of both the pandemic and the polar vortex, so her survival, recovery and growth is a feel-good story that people can celebrate and get a daily laugh from,” says Zampa.

“I think her followers quickly became vested in her progress because they saw an ‘underdog’ fighting to survive. She makes people smile and brightens their day. Lola has overcome so many obstacles to be where she is at today. Many people have overcome obstacles and struggled during this pandemic, whether it be physically, emotionally, financially, mentally…. Lola is a little sunny, funny ray of joy, and is brightening her followers’ days with her antics.”

Lola’s brother Sad Gary now lives with Shuttleworth (who says he’s not actually sad, he just sounds heartbroken when he bleats) and she adds the two are a handful.

“They are bonded very closely and where one goes, the other goes,” she adds.

“They are mischievous and get into all sorts of trouble – we have to be pretty on-the-ball to stay ahead of their shenanigans!”

The Lola Project will run until December and Shuttleworth says that the group is always looking for other organizations to partner with to raise funds in unique ways. life