I was just inspired and want your input please.

[lendube]

Reading Kaitlin's post "The Year in Review" I was inspired especially by Laura's last post. I was thinking that early 2010 we can organize/coordinate some mass donation project from participants on this board. We could come up with something that everyone can make. Pick a general interest group/charity that appeals to everyone. We could have the Canadian division and the American division and our lovely foreign ladies can choose a charity of their own. It can be a project that's easy to sew (adding our own personal touches - quilting, embroideries, etc.) and have a November deadline for instance. Not a competition necessarily, just sewing projects that we can do in-between other projects or to seriously get into if that's your choice -- whatever! We could designate someone to receive the finished projects as they are finished and make the donation in the board's name or we can donate individually. The internet is full of charity sewing ideas and we could use up stash. Maybe Kaitlin can start a "Sewing for Charity Forum" and we could post about our progress throughout the year.

Some ideas to consider. Understand what I'm getting at? Please give me your input and maybe we'll take it from there. Whaddya think gang???

[vickki]

I think it's a brillant idea,maybe we could find a place in our oun community and just drop off the projects...I would be interested in making rec'ing blankets for The Right to Life.They are always looking for baby clothes and I can't make clothes
but I can make some blankets and burp pads and could easly drop them off once a month rather than having to mail them..Vickki

[LeapFrog Libby]

I think the idea is great.. I have been doing this sort of thing for a long time.. I have just finished 4 chemo turbans for cancer patients, and I have 5 more cut out and ready to sew.. My SCE class is going to do this as a group project this feb and march when we have our classes.. Not just turbans, but sew for charity.. we are also making bags to hang on walkers, and 1 other item that escapes me right now.. Of course the recvg blankets, burp cloths, wash cloths, and bibs I do for babies are also ongoing..

[Sancin]

Something I have been thinking about for awhile are paraplegics. They are a group of people that are increasing and increasing, largely d/t trauma of one sort or another. If they were/are in the military they do have some followup support, but average citizens have little support, other than in Canada where our medical health plan does provide acute and some chronic and maybe rehabilitation care (larger centres only). They tend to be young thus have a life time of needed support. Cancer, in Canada at least, has LOTS of money thanks to the Terry Fox Fund and a lot of people think of children and babies in need thus provide some needed items. Those injured people that had insurance coverage or are actually employed seem to have personalized wheelchairs but I think they are very costly and wonder how they can be make more comfortable.

The paraplegic group probably need financial support, but can anyone think of what young people confined to wheel chairs may need?

I think, overall, this sounds like a good project and look forward to seeing what we all come up with.

[DorothyL]

I'm in, depending on the cause we choose.
Dorothy

[momquilts]

Our church supports an orphanage in Mexico. Volunteers from the church go there each February to work. Our quilt group makes as many quilts of different sizes as we can get fabric donations for and each member going on the mission trip takes an extra piece of luggage to carry our quilts. We are beginning next week and will have marathon sewing sessions. When the tops are done, we invite all the ladies in the church to come help us tie them, stressing that no sewing or quilting experience is needed. The first year we did this, my mom - who can't sew on a button - came and ironed the muslin for the quilt backs. Another non-sewer was given embroidery floss and a doll making needle and was tying up a storm before the night was over. A family bought a rotary cutter and mat and cut all the squares for us at home and delivered them to us ready to piece. It was great to see how everyone worked together to get a large number of quilts completed and ready to send across the border!

[DorothyL]

If we are going to do a group kind of thing could we respect everyone on the board and avoid church or political (like Right to Life) groups?
Dorothy

[HeyJudee]

I have been volunteering for Victoria's Quilts Canada and quilting quilts which others have made. And my quilt guild makes preemie quilts for the Rich Little Centre at the Children's Hospital in Ottawa.

[Magot]

can I knit mine?

[bridesmom]

I do understand Dorothy's comment/concern and I am in agreement with her, that we can avoid political/religious groups if we decide to do it as a group effort for one or two groups. I am a Christian but I also believe that it is important for us to not only support our church groups and charities but there are also a lot of other very worthy groups that aren't church affiliated and need help too. One that comes to mind is places that take in abused women and their children, the one here I believe is called Transition House. But whatever we decide I think it's an excellent idea! Should we do a poll or something??