Every day at 11 a.m., Peter Thompson arrives at the Commercial Drive SkyTrain station to sell Hope In Shadows calendars.
He stands in the cold, and sometimes in the rain, until 6 p.m., selling calendars to passersby in an attempt to raise enough money to buy headstones for his parents’ grave.
“I’d like to know that they will rest easy,” he said.
The former carpenter, who is in his third year selling calendars, took the photo that graces the cover of the 2011 calendar — a picture of his eight-year-old nephew holding a sign that says, “I Can Make A Difference.”
“To have my nephew on there, it gives him (pride) and will give him incentive when he’s older,” Thompson said.
Paul Ryan, director of Pivot’s Hope In Shadows project, said the program provides pride, dignity and self-esteem to vendors.
“Beyond providing much-needed income, vendors have positive and meaningful interactions with the public and connect with people from different communities,” he said.
