Recently I received a forwarded email from a friend. It was one of those motivational emails some folks enjoy spamming their family and loved ones with. I rarely open those kinds of messages; however, for some reason I peeked at this one. It was about a mother giving unasked-for advice to her recently married daughter and—as my daughter is about to be married—it spoke to me. The essence of the advice was, pay special attention to your sisters, with “sisters” defined as girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, mothers, grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended family.
When I read the message I thought of all the women in my life who have played significant and/or supporting roles and I was reminded of one woman in particular, the late Lieutenant Governor Lois Hole, who continues to play an important role in women’s lives through the legacy of the Lois Hole Hospital for Women, which is scheduled to open later this year.
However, Mrs. Hole’s good will and good works was not limited to the female of the species and the Lois Hole Library Legacy Program is a reflection of her unstinting advocacy of education and literacy. This special program will help perpetuate Mrs. Hole’s exemplary support of libraries across Alberta by encouraging like-minded individuals to approach a participating library of their choice and tailor a donation to best benefit the community.
The University of Alberta Press team holds a special place in their hearts for Lois Hole and we were, therefore, delighted earlier this year to publish Lois Hole Speaks: Words that Matter. The book has been on the Edmonton Journal’s best seller list for weeks and we want to say a great big thank-you to everyone who made the publication possible: The Hole family, Sandra Kereliuk and Bruce Keith provided key insights and details into Mrs. Hole’s speeches and stories; and, Mark Lisac provided an enlightening and thoughtful introduction setting Mrs. Hole’s words into context. A special thank you to our sponsors: the Alberta Historic Resources Foundation; the Alberta Foundation for the Arts; the Canada Council for the Arts; and Canadian Heritage through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program. We couldn’t do it without you!
And a special thank-you to all you readers, we know Mrs. Hole would want to hug each and every one of you. Your overwhelming response to Lois Hole Speaks: Words that Matter is a testament to how beloved a “sister” Mrs. Hole was to us all.
Filed under: Thank you Tagged: | Add new tag, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Alberta Historic Resources Foundation, Book Publishing Industry Development Program, Canada Council for the Arts, Canadian Heritage, Lois Hole, Lois Hole Hospital for Women, Lois Hole Library Legacy Program, Lois Hole Speaks: Words that Matter, Mark Lisac
