Did you ever have a great idea, an idea you thought about and talked about over and over again, but you never actually did anything ... except of course think and talk ... and then one day the idea disappeared from your mind, forgotten, undone?

I'm sure it has happened to every one of us at some time but it didn't happen to Eve Reinalz last November. Although it just might have if her partner, Terry Patterson, hadn't given her a nudge of encouragement to go for it ... and go for it she did.

When you learn that Reinalz has three chickens, two goats, three pigs, two dogs and two cats, all animals other people didn't want anymore, it's not hard to believe that she would want to raise money for the SPCA.

Her idea was to motivate her friends, and friends of friends, to uncover their artistic side and create a piece of art for a show she planned to hold in her home.

She envisioned a few dozen people coming together, purchasing each other's work and raising a few hundred dollars for the SPCA.

She went into action.

A few phone calls later, a small committee sat around the kitchen table and gave birth to "Art for the Animals by Everyday People".

The event was scheduled for Saturday March 31, 2001.

But faster than you could say "hot digitti dog," the idea grew, turned into a silent and live auction, and the venue was moved to the Downtown Nanaimo Art Gallery.

When established artists such as Fred Peters and Grant Leier chose to get involved, the idea grew even more quickly -- three years ago Peters adopted his dog, Basil, from the SPCA. He was only too happy to help out.

Without doubt, the professional artists added pizzazz to the event but the true energy came from the art produced by the "everyday people".

One friend was too embarrassed to let her work be shown so Eve "stole" it and hung it in the gallery. It sold at auction for $40.

Eve's painting of her pet chicken, Medium -- they share a coffee each morning -- sold for $290. Her Dancing Goat fetched a good price too.

As well as paintings, there were hand knit sweaters, carvings, photos, mosaics, a CD, painted bird-houses (beautifully painted), hand made cards created by elementary students, work from a glass blower and more - 162 items in all.

It was an amazing show. Some of the most exciting pieces were done by kids as young as four years old. A blind woman whose cat is her constant companion painted a cat on a small rock. It was beautiful.

Of course all the money raised, over $8,500 - that's right, I said $8,500 -- went to the SPCA.

The entire afternoon exuded excitement, laughter, friendship, joy, love of animals ... and talent.

The event was drenched in the creative juices of the "everyday people," creative juices many of them didn't know they had. In fact, most of the money raised came from the sale of their work.

So you'd have to say Art for the Animals by Everyday People was a huge success, right?

"Only partly successful," says Eve.

"If someone had gone to the SPCA after the auction and adopted Gentle Guardian, a two-year old Lab / Shepherd cross, that would have made it a true success," she smiled sadly.

"Guardian is a really shy but wonderful dog," she continued. "He hides whenever anyone comes in so he's been there for over a year. He'd make a great companion."

Want a dog? Eve's event deserves a happy ending. So does Gentle Guardian.