In the colourful spirit of community pride, local tattoo shop owners are running their second annual Pride Flash event this week. Walk-ins willing to ink on a 1"x2" rainbow mini tatt in honour of the greater LGBTQ2S+ community are welcome to stop by Sink or Swim Creations this week, where proceeds from their selected or pre-drawn design will go toward Camp fYrefly - a camp for youth between the ages of 14 and 24 years who identify as queer or transgender; this year, Camp fYrefly was held at Camp Hector in Kananaskis Country. This week, the cost for a pride-related flash tattoo is $85. A non-pride flash tattoo is $95. Twenty five dollars from these designs will go toward Camp fYrefly. The idea came out of a desire to help youth who are struggling, as a way of giving back to the Cochrane community that shop owners Jordan Shea and Rebecca Pare now belong to, having moved here from Jasper three years ago. Tomorrow (Friday, Aug. 24) is the final day to go in and get a permanent stamp of support for the camp. "We have four kids ourselves and giving back to the community and to youth really means something to us," said Shea of his blended family, a tattoo artist of 11 years whose signature style is centered on, but not limited to, black and grey realism. "Our hearts lie with youth," said Pare, reflecting on her childhood best friend who was transgender. "I never saw her as anything - she was always accepted for wearing boys clothing ... she embraced it and people loved her." Pare is also donating $15 from all piercings this week to the cause, which are priced at $55. Last year, the shop, which has since relocated to its new home at #8 118 1st Ave West as of two months ago (the strip mall next to the Royal Bank in the East End), raised $370 for the camp. The couple is hoping to break that amount this year. As they continue to integrate themselves into the community, they are looking for new, creative ways to use art and help youth. Shea, an avid skateboarder, is looking for ways to connect with the youth Cochrane skateboarding community through art projects. Stay tuned for details to come. Sink or Swim Creations can be reached at 403-981-6429 or check out their Facebook page for more details.
