I didn’t count, but a lot of people wore purple in Bowmanville, Ontario last Tuesday!
I was one of them. I found a partly-purple scarf and a decades-old, no-longer-stylish jacket in my closet for a massive book-signing event, held in honour of Myrtle the Purple Turtle.
Staff, volunteers and members of the BOAA (Bowmanville Older Adults Association), were in fine form.
Then Dolly (below) showed up in her purple wig and had me beat.
There were purple scarves, purple coats, purple shirts and sweaters, purple earrings, purple everything! And so many different shades of purple.
But I can tell you that everyone wore a smile. BOAA is that kind of place. You show up and you’re immediately made welcome.
Grandparents, great aunts and uncles, great-grands and others from the community showed up to get their copies signed for the children in their lives. (And a few bought the book just for themselves.)
Many were BOAA members; some had read about the event in the regional newspaper.
There was turtle jewellry.
Executive director Angie Darlison set the tone, appearing as a purple turtle, complete with shell!
She also shared some turtle jokes.
- What do turtles use to communicate? A shell phone!
- What do you get when you cross a turtle and a porcupine? A slow-poke!
The couple above, by the way, are Benny, the creator of the BOAA Christmas Village, and his wife Agnes. It was a pleasure to meet them.
Thanks again, BOAA! It was turtally wonderful.
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Photos by Chelsea Wolf.
Cynthia Reyes 