B.A.N.K. - Buy Art Not Kids

My children are budding little artists, and man are they prolific!

I have a never ending stream of pictures that fill my bulletin board, fridge and various frames around my house. Most of them are quick scribbles,  but there are a few really special pieces in my collection.  One picture, brought home just a few weeks after school started that shows Sophia's vision of her family, its one of the first pictures she ever brought home, and one of the first that had easily identifiable content.

Another picture I love is one that me and the girls did together when Vanessa was really small, its a pair of butterflies made from their teeny tiny stamped feet. I have that one framed, and its one of my favorite pieces of art in the entire house.
My girls, my babies, their art is precious not because it shows amazing talent, or has a monetary value, but because each piece was created by my special tiny people.  I am so thankful for them, and so thankful that we live in a society that helps me to protect them.  I am consciously and painfully aware that not every parent is afforded such luxury.
While I sit here admiring the art my children have gifted me with, I am aware that there are families who would give anything to have their babies back, and there are families for whom keeping their children safe from horrific threats is a very real struggle.
That's why I want to introduce you to of Ratanak International, a Canadian charity that rescues and rehabilitates child sex trafficking victims in Cambodia, and their upcoming art auction, B.A.N.K. - Buy Art Not Kids

Art Can Change Everything 
Art can build up, or tear down; it can raise hope or trigger devastation. It communicates truth, or spreads lies. But can art really change the world? Without acting on it, the change that art points us towards is lost. Art itself cannot change the world, but art can change people. And people can change the world! The Buy Art Not Kids Art Auction will celebrate the connection between art and its call-to-action by showcasing ‘art that inspires’. – Buy Art Not Kids

The Buy Art Not Kids Art Auction Date: April 4th, 2014 Location: Havergal College – 1451 Avenue Road, Toronto ON, M5N 2H9

The event is a silent art auction to be hosted by the BANK committee of volunteers in partnership with Havergal College in Toronto. The event will feature live music, performance art, raffle prizes, sumptuous food, wine and most importantly a chance for you to purchase an array of incredible art by notable Canadian artists. Tickets are $75. The event itself is two-fold: to raise awareness about child sex trafficking in Cambodia while also raising funds, to benefit Ratanak International, an established Canadian charity (16+ years) dedicated to the abolition of child sex trafficking in Cambodia. Website: http://www.buyartnotkids.com/home

Please consider coming out and making a difference.

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