Beyond 21 Spring Market supporting dreams

Shawna O'Neill, Special to TC Media
Beyond 21 Spring Market supporting dreams
​Jane MacMillian Originals display at the Beyond 21 Market in Williamstown. (Shawna O'Neill

WILLIAMSTOWN, Ontario – In conjunction with the House Tour, the Spring Market for Beyond 21 has been held for the past five years. This year vendors and supporters gathered at the Williamstown Fairgrounds on Sunday, June 17. 

“The vendors love being here,” said Jane McLaren, Program Manager with Beyond 21. “It’s just a lovely lovely location. Vicious Varieties is here with the Car Show. This our first year doing a Car Show as an add on for Father’s Day, and it’s been really wonderful to work with them.” 

McLaren is glad that people came together to give their hearts and time for Beyond 21. She believes that the vendors and homeowners who partnered with the organization are dream chasers just like the Beyond 21 participants, all sharing a common goal. Beyond 21 participants created artwork that was on sale at the Market, and after being open for only three hours, almost all of the creations were sold out. 

“It’s just a really awesome thing,” said McLaren. “They’re not just here supporting their business, they’re here investing into the life of somebody else and believing in the potential of someone to be in our community. And that’s not something everybody does, so to me they’re very very incredible people.”

Jane MacMillan started painting in 2005 after visiting Nunavut, where she was inspired by Inuit artwork and the landscapes. Now she owns Jane MacMillan Originals and teaches dance classes with Beyond 21. MacMillan conducts warm ups and spatial exercises, and has taught participants folk dances of Israel, Romania and Russia. 

“Beyond 21, I really like it very much,” said MacMillan. “I do a dance class with them once a week. It’s natural to want to support it so that’s why I came today.”

Share this article