colourful cards to fit the season By Nicole Williams Smith Christmas is a time for giving -- and the Bermuda Junior Service League have again come up with eight ways to give twice with the same card.

Buyers of League's Christmas cards can send friends and family superbly artistic cards -- and know that the cash raised will go to worthy charities around the Island.

Earlier in the year the League's Christmas card committee began preparing for Christmas 1998, requesting local artists to submit their holiday sketches.

Organisers said they received a vast selection of `great' artwork and had a very hard job making their final decision.

But eight designs were finally chosen, printed and recently released by the Bermuda Junior Service League.

The cards are entitled: `Oh What a Night' by Dana Cooper; `Christmas Lattice' by Bruce Stuart; `Poinsettia' and `Around the Tree Bermuda Style' by Amy Evans; `Gibbs Hill Lighthouse; by Peter Woolcock; `Banana Angels in Symphony' by Ronnie Chameau; `Steps at Stilwell' by Molly Smith and `Santa's Running Late by Laura Elgey.

Several of the artists, like Ronnie Chameau, Laura Elgey and Molly Smith, are regular contributors to the Christmas-time project. Bruce Stuart has contributed to the League since 1984 (missing only one year) while The Royal Gazette's own Peter Woolcock has submitted artwork annually since 1990.

This will be the first year `new' artists Dana Cooper and Amy Evans have had their works depicted on Christmas cards for the League.

And for those who pick up their Christmas cards early, they will get to see how Gibbs Hill Lighthouse will be decorated this holiday season.

Each year the Southampton attraction is decorated differently and Peter Woolcock's depiction of the Lighthouse is as it is planned for this year's Christmas season.

The Bermuda Junior Service League, which is made up of a group of women committed to providing volunteer service to the community, has been selling Christmas cards to raise funds for local charities for over 20 years.

Last year $25,000 was raised through the sale of Christmas cards. The funds were dispersed amongst selected local charities.

The League's Christmas card project is a major source of revenue and once again this year the funds be distributed to a number of different local charities.

Requests from different charities are submitted in writing to the League and are reviewed and researched by a finance committee. Recommendations are then made to the membership to vote on.

For over 60 years, the Bermuda Junior Service League has been providing fund-raising and community service hours to support the charities of Bermuda.

The organisation was founded in 1938 by Vail Zuill to assist the Hospital, the Welfare Society and the Lady Cubitt Compassionate Association.

The League is open to women between the ages of 18 to 45 who are interested in furthering the spirit of volunteerism in the Bermuda community.

A commitment of membership is the requirement to spend at least 50 hours per year on League projects.

Christmas cards can be purchased from most local retailers or directly from the League by calling any of the Christmas card co-chairs: Karen Olson at 236-8831, Lynn Olson at 236-6311 or Kathy Suter at 238-1523.

ANGELIC -- `Banana Angels in Symphony' by Ronnie Chameau is one eight colourful Christmas cards available throught the Bermuda Junior Services League.

CHRISTMAS COLOURS -- In her first year submitting art for the Bermuda Junior Service League's Christmas Cards, artist Dana Cooper shines with the colourful, `Oh, What A Night'.