Tuck Shop Artist Highlight: Geraldine Bearspaw & Bonnie Maveal

If you haven’t had the pleasure of shopping at the Canmore General Hospital’s Tuck Shop, we highly recommend you pop in if you get the chance! The Tuck Shop, located just within the doors of our local hospital, is filled with a wide range of handmade gifts and goods that our generous community members have donated. The volunteer-run operation spreads comfort and warmth through our local healthcare facility while raising money for the hospital. When you shop at the Tuck Shop, all proceeds go back to the Canmore General Hospital through the Ladies’ Auxiliary and the Canmore and Area Health Care Foundation (now the Canmore Hospital Foundation). 

The Ladies’ Auxiliary, the volunteers, and the talented makers who donate their time and creations profoundly impact our hospital and our community as a whole. During the summer months, the Tuck Shop closes its doors and takes a pop-up form at Canmore’s summer markets. You can find the Ladie’s Auxiliary selling some of the Tuck Shop’s finest goods at the Canmore Mountain Market and the market at the Ralph Connor Memorial United Church. 

To give you an idea of some of the remarkable makers behind the Tuck Shop, we’d like to highlight some artists! We’re kicking it off with Geraldine Bearspaw and Bonnie Maveal. 

Geraldine Bearspaw 

We caught up with Geraldine, who also goes by the nickname Buffy Bear, to learn more about her craft. Geraldine is a wildly talented beader from Morley, Alberta. She contributes hand-beaded lanyards, poppy pins, orange shirt pins, and more to the Tuck Shop’s stock. 

Geraldine told us that she was contacted by the Canmore General Hospital’s Indigenous Liason, Kenny Hunter, who had come across her work and thought her beautiful pieces would be perfect for the shop. 

Geraldine graciously agreed. “I made orange shirts and poppies for the teachers last year, and that’s probably how Kenny noticed my work,” she shared. In addition to her meticulous craftsmanship, she also works at Morley Community School, so she has no problem keeping busy. 

She told us that she’s always been creative. “I made three beaded outfits for my grandkids, and during the holidays, I make beaded lanyards to sell as gifts.” You’ve likely seen her gorgeous work in the community, and Geraldine told us, “I’m very happy my work is getting noticed.” If you’d like to support Geraldine’s art, you can find her work at the Tuck Shop or on Facebook at Buffy Bear, where she posts her creations and takes custom orders. 

Bonnie Maveal

Next, we caught up with Bonnie Maveal, whose knitting has been a Tuck Shop staple for years. Bonnie has been part of the Ladies Auxiliary since 2013. Back then, she contributed some of her knitting, but when the COVID lockdown began, she started knitting at a much larger capacity. 

Bonnie knits an array of beautiful garments you need to see for yourself. “The Tuck Shop is stuffed, and most of it is handmade,” she told us. She mentioned that the items in the Tuck Shop are of incredible quality and, because they’re handmade, “they last!.” 

Not only has Bonnie generously donated her time and skills over the years to support the Canmore General Hospital, but she’s even had community members donate yarn for her projects in the past. This type of giving truly is contagious. 

She noted that the artists donating their work to the Tuck Shop often spend countless hours on their pieces. “The donations of quilts and other things that people make, it’s just amazing,” said Bonnie. 

She noted that purchasing from the Tuck Shop (and the markets) “helps raise money to buy medical equipment,” and she encourages community members “to come in and shop!” 

Bonnie and Geraldine are two incredible examples of the talented and passionate folks that contribute their time and talents to our community’s healthcare! Stay tuned for more artist highlights coming soon.