On Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 13, from 2 to 5 p.m, Coast Highway Art Collective will host a special benefit event for Midwives on Missions of Service, or MOMS. This group works in Sierra Leone but is run by two local community members, Trish Ross and Chris McManus.

     The MOMS Mother’s Day event will feature items for sale, including jewelry designs by Ling-Yen Jones made especially for this group and handcrafted cutting boards of exotic woods made by Burns Wood Designs. Guests can enjoy West African food specialties, local wines, textiles and find out more about the work the group is doing through slide presentations and organizational volunteers on hand to answer questions.

     Ross is excited about this opportunity for the local community to get various perspectives on what MOMS does and the country and the people it serves.  “MOMS is a dinky and powerful humanitarian non-profit that makes a big difference to the people of one of the poorest countries on earth.  MOMS goal is to reduce maternal and infant mortality among those who have the fewest choices; we do this through education and service.   By teaching illiterate women in rural Sierra Leone to be change agents, teachers, and maternal health providers, MOMS empowers them to solve the problems that bedevil their communities.  A small grant helps each class develop self-sufficiency while raising the economy of an entire area.  MOMS has deliberately and carefully developed in-country staff, trainers, and a Leadership Council to increase self-reliance, resilience in crises, and overall effectiveness.  MOMS work is hard and wonderful; volunteers and staff have developed strong bonds of affection and trust, and have a whole lot of fun!”

The gallery is located at 284 Main Street, Point Arena, the little red building with the big yellow sun next door to the Redwood Credit Union. More information is available at www.coast-highway-artists.com.