Spirits of the West Coast Art Gallery is collecting non-perishable food items for the Comox Valley Food Bank to honour mothers 鈥� not just for Mother鈥檚 Day, but for the whole month of May.

鈥淭he Comox Valley Food Bank distributes free emergency food to people in need, and our May drive focuses on the mothers and their children in our community who require this assistance,鈥� said Walter Stolting who co-owns the art gallery with his wife, Tatjana.

鈥淭o donate items for the Food Bank, please come to our gallery at 2926 Back Road, between East Courtenay and Comox, and receive an entry to the draw for a beautiful gift basket valued at over $300.鈥�

The Mothers in May gift basket includes books written by two outstanding women, a solid sterling silver half-inch-wide bracelet designed by Richard Krentz from the Coast Salish Nation and lots of other goodies.

The books are:

Breathing Stone: Haida Argillite Sculpture, by Carol Sheehan, writer, curator, teacher, and consultant is a lifelong student of Northwest Coast First Nations art.

Out of Concealment: Female Supernatural Beings of Haida Gwaii, by Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson, a Haida activist and artist recognized through her practice of law, music, art, and writing.

Some of the items in constant need at the food bank are:

Dried foods - beans, rice, pasta, and gluten-free items;

Canned - fish, meat, fruit, vegetables, pasta sauces and beans;

Nutritional snacks for children鈥檚 lunches (i.e. sugar-free juices, milk alternatives);

Toiletries for women and children, including sanitary products and diapers;

Paper products.

If you prefer to contribute a direct donation of funds to the Comox Valley Food Bank, please do so online at or in person by cheque or cash.

鈥淎fter you do, drop by our gallery, show us your receipt, and you鈥檒l be entered into the draw,鈥� said Stolting.

鈥淭hank you for your generous support for our local mothers and their children.鈥�