聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Four-year-old Raina Miers has been one of The Observer's favourite cover girls, and now, the pre-kindergarten student is a calendar girl - featured as the month of June's fairy in 2018's 'Enchanting Forest' wall calendar by Regina's Free Lense Photo Graphic.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The calendar features images of Saskatchewan children with Down Syndrome and plans are underway for a photographic exhibit - tentatively scheduled for Fall 2018 in Regina -聽 featuring images of the children pictured in the 'Enchanting Forest' project, which sales of the calendar will help to finance.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Regina photographer Svetlana Tsybizova and her husband, Alfred Zumpano were inspired by kids with Down Syndrome and say both the calendar project and the exhibit they are planning are dedicated to 鈥渟hedding stereotypes鈥� and 鈥渓ife without labels.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Their website - - states: 鈥淭hrough the talent and vibrancy of children with an extra chromosome, we would like to remind everyone that every person is complex and different.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淔or any other calendar, $25 would be a lot, but not this one. It doubles as a daily reminder to believe in yourself and in people you love and helps to raise money for a very beautiful cause.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The pair contacted the Saskatchewan Down Syndrome Society and Raina's mom, Kellie Jones says with a smile: 鈥淪ome of the other parents we knew messaged us and said: 'Raina has to be in this.'鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淪he's always loved the camera,鈥� adds Jones. 鈥淎nd even though we couldn't make it to the initial shoot with all of the other kids, they held it off for Raina. We went in November to the studio in Regina and it only took an hour.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 聽鈥淚t went really well,鈥� Tsybizova says of her photo projects involving Saskatchewan kids with Down Syndrome:
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 believe in the transformative power of art. By taking an idea and turning it into something tangible, art alters our perception of the world and inspires a change.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 hope our exhibit will open a little window into the world hidden behind the Down Syndrome label,鈥� she adds. 鈥淚 would like more people to see the sincerity, ingenuity and most of all, the remarkable intelligence of the heart these children have.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭ogether, we can make this event happen.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 To purchase an 'Enchanting Forest' colour calendar, visit: .
