Jan Stephens’s one-of-a-kind cards are not only turning heads but churning up cash for sick kids.
The Ladysmith CIBC financial services representative, as part of the company’s annual fundraising campaign to support BC Children’s Hospital, has produced eight series of cards depicting everything from Ladysmith’s harbour to Africa’s wildlife.
“They seem to be going over really well,” Stephens said. “[BC Children’s Hospital] is a big cause and I have a huge family of nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews and I want to make sure that it’s there for them if anything should happen.”
So far $380 worth of cards have been sold. One happy customer was pleased to note that his boat was featured in the Ladysmith Marina series, Stephens said.
Each series is $5 a set and comes with four cards. The images on the cards are either designed or photographed by Stephens, while the CIBC supplies the materials. This year, the series include an easter theme, a cat theme, and a kids art theme where Stephens used drawings done by her co-worker’s children.
“I’ve taken lots of pictures in Nevada and Ladysmith, flowers out in Yellowpoint and Cedar,” Stephens said.
The African series features four images taken by a friend of Stephens who heard about the campaign on Facebook and offered the photos.
“It’s fabulous because I don’t get the chance to take pictures of lions and elephants and that type of thing,” Stephens said.
This is the second year the local CIBC branch is selling the cards to raise money for the campaign. Stephens was inspired by another southern Island branch who was doing something similar.
“I made the mistake last year of doing a fantasy series and glittering it, and spent almost every night in my living room glittering cards,” Stephens said of her first cards. “We decided there would be no glitter this year.”
The cards will be available through the Ladysmith CIBC branch until the end of May and are available to the public, Stephens said.
“These are one of a kind ... You will never get them anywhere else,” she said.