From The Montreal Gazette newspaper, Oct 12 2002 issue:

Agenda Alive With Kids’ Art

Lachine man raises funds through colourful book

By Anne Sutherland
The Gazette
October 12 2002

This fall, when you’re looking for a day planner to keep your life organized in 2003, you might want to consider Our Children’s Art Agenda, chock-full of paintings and drawings by children from Canada and other parts of the world and put together here in Lachine. Part of the proceeds from the hardcover books go to Research Into Children’s Diseases (formerly the Telethon of Stars). The brainchild of Roger Dery, Our Children’s Art Agenda is in its eighth edition.

Dery, who owns a graphic design company with a printing division, has long been associated with the Montreal Children’s Hospital, and when his mother died almost a decade ago he decided to do something that would have made her happy.

His idea was to put together a calendar that highlighted the joyous and colourful artwork of children.“My mum was artistically inclined and she encouraged me in the arts, so this was a way to honour her,” Dery said. “And to do some good for children.” Networking with school boards and special-education centres, Dery collected hundreds of drawings the first year. Through word of mouth and the Department of Foreign Affairs, the program garnered support around the globe. For the 2004 Edition, submissions from 46 countries are represented in the 75 full-colour drawings and paintings. Dery said the agenda project has raised more than $100,000 for Research Into Children’s Diseases.