A West Island husband and wife duo have managed to raise more than $6,000 for the people of Ukraine thanks to help from their cartoon friend.
Hobby sketch artist Paul McAdams and Carolyn Larocque, a retired school teacher, started a fundraising campaign for the the Red Cross with the selling of uplifting graphic T-shirts.
With a few dark pen strokes and well-placed blues and yellows, McAdams, a self-taught artist and his cartoon creation named Sunny Bean have been beaming rays of positive light from afar on the war in Ukraine since the conflict began.
The pudgy round ball of joy and his innocent balloon have been provoking thought and care on social media for years but his recent messages have struck a chord with people.
“We were hoping some of the messages, some of the artwork would resonate with people and would connect with them,” McAdams said.
“Raising awareness and showing solidarity with what is happening to the poor people in Ukraine.”
It all started with a recent sketch from McAdams that depicts a figure watering blooming yellow national sunflowers, in a field with a bright blue sky.
The hopeful scene, painted in the country’s coloursm was so popular online McAdams says admiration for the art piece was overwhelming.
Soon a suggestion was made to produce T-shirts with Paul’s work in order to help fundraising efforts for the Canadian Red Cross in Ukraine.
“It was just a natural leap to say let’s make this a fundraiser,” McAdams said.
Through their network of friends, Larocque and McAdams, managed to find a company that would sponsor, produce and print the shirts at a reduced price.
A former teacher for 35 years, Larocque said she had plenty of experience with multiple fundraisers and was able to turn the initiative from an idea on a page to a reality.
“I’m overwhelmed by the generosity that people have shown in supporting this in such a short period of time,” McAdams said.
Selling the shirts at $20 a piece, the graphic T’s have raised more than $6,000 in a matter of two weeks.
All proceeds raised for the Red Cross will be matched by the federal government making a grand total of over $12,000.
“It feels good to help,” Larocque said.
The husband and wife duo say a total of 429 shirts have been sold and while the campaign is finished they hope this will spark something more.
“The character is just very dear and sweet and I think its sends a message that is universal,” Larocque said.
McAdams has since drawn up a number of powerful images and puts them on his Instagram for people to see.
As a human rights education consultant, McAdams says while the atrocities in Ukraine are important for the world to witness, others are happening and help is also needed elsewhere.
“It’s important to focus on Ukraine and I think there is also a growing awareness that there are other humanitarian crises taking place right now, that also deserve the world’s attention, ” McAdams said.
He and his Sunny Bean plan to continue shining a positive light.
“If we all come together hopefully we will live in a world that is peaceful,” Larocque said.
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