Pre Christmas Dontation to the Susan B Anthony Project

This morning I stopped by the Susan B. Anthony Project (SBAP) with some items to donate.  I brought in 4 scarves and 16 hats along with a couple other items I have picked up at the store. 

Our weather for November was very warm compared to what we are used to here in Connecticut.  We know this warmer weather is likely to quickly come to an end. Today at the SBAP I was told that earlier in the season they had a lot of hats but with the one cold spell we had they were all quickly taken.  They felt that the items that I brought in today would be quickly claimed.  If anyone has been looking for a project to work on it sounds like there is plenty of need there.

I have 4 hats made up to bring to the Torrington Cancer Center.  That is not enough.  By this time last year we had already donated a decent amount.  An adult hat can be crocheted with a thick yarn and a basic pattern in about an hour.  If anyone if willing to help please let me know.  I would gladly provide you with yarns and a crochet hook if you need them.  I can also teach you to crochet if you are interested in learning.

Needs for these types if donations are much higher this time of year.  In our current economy most people have less money to spend and many have limited time.  It does not take much of a sacrifice to make up a hat or a blanket.  I always purchase yarns on sale.  There are many brands that are affordable but still of high quality.  I like to crochet in the evenings while I watch television.  The way I look at it, if I am sitting on the sofa I might as well accomplish something while I am there.  Perhaps you could do the same.

Please contact me at leclaire91402@yahoo.com if you are interested in contributing or know of anyone in need.

Thank you!

After the Fair

The church once again held a duck race raffle on the weekend of the Riverton Fair.  It was a great success.  The weather was amazingly warm.  It really was a lot of fun to participate in.

I have a great group of items I am putting together to bring to the Susan B. Anthony Project.  I am currently finishing up a scarf to add to it.  I am making this one with Bernat "Lu Lu" yarn.  It is a soft yarn of a great fuzzy texture.  I picture it being ideal for a young girl in the shelter.   It looks like it will be pretty cute. 

My next goal is to get more hats made up for the chemo patients.  It is getting pretty cold here in Connecticut.  My furnace has already kicked on a couple times this season.  I would like to get a large batch to the Torrington Center for Cancer Care soon.  It would be nice to get them a large batch to start off with.  If you can make any hats up please let me know.  Keep in mind that hats for chemo patients must be made with a soft yarn.  It is best that the style of hat does not have any "holes" in the pattern. A nice tight stitch is preferred.  I do have yarn, crochet hooks, knitting needles and looms available for anyone that needs supplies to get started.

There are many people that work together to make this ministry possible but I am currently the only one writing this blog.  I am happy to report that my life has changed a bit and I do expect to be writing more often.  If you have any questions or ideas for future blog post please let me know.  I look forward to doing all I can to expand and touch more lives.

Post Hurricane - Getting ready for the cold

Flooding in Canton from Hurricane Irene

Here in Connecticut we are cleaning up from Hurricane Irene.  My family lives along the Farmington River.  I went out twice during the storm to check the level of the river.  It was rising quickly.  It made me consider the possibility that the house may be flooded.  I quickly began to think of what a disaster this would be.

In the end our house was spared but many others were not so lucky.  I do not know what we can do to help those that were effected by the storm but if you have any ideas of where we may be needed please pass the information along.

Flooding along the Farmington River

 

 

 

Damage to Park Road in Barkhamsted, CT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The schools are back in session and the hurricane has passed.  Today is September 1st.  This means that the cold weather is right around the corner.  We are trying to get organized to determine where the needs will be the greatest this year.  If you have information about organizations that could use our donations or individual in need please let us know. 

Here is a list of the type of items we have made in the past to assist individuals through the cold weather:

• Afghans
• Lap throws
• Scarfs
• Mittens
• Hats
• Slippers
• Hat specifically designed with softness for chemo patients
• Hooded scarfs
• Sweaters

I also wanted to remind everyone that free crochet lessons are available for anyone interested in joining our cause.  For additional information on this or any other questions please e-mail me at leclaire91402@yahoo.com .

Memorial Day

This morning I turned on the television to catch the weather forecast.  There were many stories about men and women in the military.  It is Memorial Day so there are a lot of people celebrating with picnics and BBQs.  At the same time there are families out there that are going through a the loss of a loved one recently killed in the war.  Others are remembering those that were lost years ago.  It is hard to be at a picnic in a backyard listening to music and having a great time with those that we are with and knowing the suffering that others are going through. 

There is always someone that will be celebrating while others are going through sorrow.  On any given day one family will be celebrating the birth of a baby while another is mourning the death of a loved one.  We could be miserable over the loss of a job while someone else is thrilled with a promotion.  As one person buys a new home another has lost theirs to foreclosure.  We are all at different stages of our lives.  When things are going well for us financially we help those less fortunate.  It is nice to know that if we are overwhelmed with the tasks we need to complete that we have friends and family we can turn to for help.

This is why the ministry is so important to me.  I have been on both the receiving and giving ends of charity.  At this point in my life I am in a position that I can do for others.  I can make a shawl to comfort someone.  I can crochet a hat for someone going through chemotherapy.  I can make a blanket for a homeless person.  What can you do today to touch the life of someone else?  Perhaps you can make a quilt for a baby or you can make a small piece of furniture for someone exiting a shelter and starting a new life.  Perhaps you can craft a handmade wooden button for the burial clothing for an infant.  Maybe today you can just help by reaching out to someone with a smile and a helping hand.  Whatever your ability is to help others today remember that it will make a difference.

Last night I began work on another shawl.  Our shawl supply is down to just 2 or 3.  Since we never know how many we will need at once I want to have a few more on hand.  I also have a batch of baby hats made up.  I have been taking a break from the chemo hats to work on these other items knowing that there are not needed as much this time of year.  With the warm weather however, the making a hat is a lot more comfortable then working on a warm blanket.  Whatever you may desire to make go right ahead.  If it is not needed today and can be placed aside until the need is here.  In the cold weather we can not make hats and other warm items fast enough.

The Wonders of Technology

It has come to my attention that some e-mails that have been sent to me may be going directly to a spam folder.  I use the e-mail address leclaire91402@yahoo.com .  Unfortunately I get a ton of spam messages on there on a daily basis and I do not always sort through them.  I would love to put up my phone number but since this is an internet can be viewed from anyone in any time zone I can not do that.  The phone number that I use is my own home number.   With two small children at home I can't have the phone ring at all hours of the day.

If this continues to be a problem I will explore opening a separate e-mail account for this ministry.  I have not done so thus far because I felt that e-mail going to my regular account would be viewed much faster.  This however, will not work if messages are getting buried in a spam folder.  If I do open a new e-mail account I will post the address here.

What's Next? .....Baby Items

I like to set specific goals to keep on track and organized.  Now that the warm weather has arrived (sort of) there will be less need for the blankets and chemo hats.  While I will still continue to work on those items, my next goal is to get a package of baby items to the hospital.  I already have some items made up.  My goal is to have a package to bring by the end of April.  If you have any items to add please let me know so that I can pick them up before then.  Thank you!

This baby hat was crocheted with a size G hook and Caron Simply Soft yarn.

New Yarn Donation

Today we received a donation of acrylic yarns from April VanHorn. (Sorry, I am not sure if I am spelling this correctly).  Many of these yarns will be ideal for blankets and chemo hats.  There are some beautiful blue yarns that my be great for a blanket for a little boy.  Thank you so much April!  These yarns will go a long way!

If anyone is in need of yarn, crochet hook or knitting needles for your next project please let me know.  leclaire91402@yahoo.com 

Where to find a shawl

I just wanted to check in with a quick post because I have not written much lately.  We are all anxiously awaiting the arrival of Spring.  My side work slows dramatically when the warm weather arrives so I will have a lot more time for adding to our stock of supplies.  It may seem odd to be crocheting a warm winter cap on a hot day but the more I make when I have time, the more people I can help.

Have you ever seen the show "Secret Millionaire"?  It airs here on Sunday nights.  This past week the show took place on Skid Row.  They covered the story of a man that brings clothing and hygiene kits to the streets where the items are needed.  The millionaire of this show was so surprised to see that the people that came to take the items that were being offered were only taking one item.  He expected the first couple of people to scoop up everything and leave nothing for the others.  I found it especially touching.  We take the things that we have for granted until they are no longer there.  Something as simple as a new pair of shoes can be life changing for someone in need.  During this particular episode there were also at a shelter that had a lot of similarities to the Susan B. Anthony Project.  I highly recommend this show.  Just be sure to have a tissue handy

If anyone is in need of prayer shawls I have some at my home.  There are also currently two available at the church.  I just ask that if you take one of the shawls from the church that you let me know so that I can record it. and replace it.  I keep a record of donations that come in and go out.

I wanted to share a photo a photographer sent me of a newborn hat I made.  Spring is in the air!

One Snowy January!

All of this snow here in Connecticut has made it a great month to crochet or knit.  It has also made it a month of a lot of need for many.  We have broken the record for the most snow in the month of January and more is in the forecast.

Mounds of January Snow

The scarfs, mittens and hats that were placed on the Christmas tree this year were beautiful.  The colors were gorgeous.  It was easy to see that a tremendous amount of time went into creating them.  These items were all donated to the Susan B. Anthony Project in Torrington.  I contacted them to see what their need was this year.  Normally they receive more donations of those sort of items then they did this year.  With the bitter cold and snow that we have had they were in demand.   The day I dropped them off was one of the brutally cold days we have had.  Cathy at the front desk said that they were almost out of them so the timing was good.  Thank you to those that donated these items!

I have made up a lap throw with some basic worsted weight yarn that was donated.  A photo of it is below.  As you can see, this was done with a very basic stitch.  It worked up quickly.  If I had a group of them I would get them to a hospice or other place of need.  Since I only have the one I will wait for now.  If you know anyone confined to a wheelchair or any way in need of a throw please contact me so I can get one out to them

When Life Gives you Lemons What do you Make?

When things don't go as planned stop and ask yourself if the the bumps along the way have been a good thing or bad thing.  Surprisingly, the answer is often that it is a good thing.  How many people at the age of 40 find themselves in the position that they had expected themselves to be at that age when they were predicting their futures at high school graduation?  I am guessing very few.  But is that a bad thing?

The best laid plans for a night alone with your spouse can come crashing down when a child falls ill.  Plans to get to work on time and have a productive day can end with a dead car battery.  Your plans to squeeze in one last errand may fall victim to a traffic jam.  These are just the small things.  Sometimes pregnancies are a unplanned surprise. What happens if your plans to run in the New York Marathon are ended because your legs are amputated?  Do you just give up or do you look into the possibility of artificial legs and wheel chair races.  There are many ways to approach a challenge.  Will you end up stronger after the challenge?

It is all about fate.  They say what does not kill you will make you stronger.  Some up these challenges will send us on a path so very different then what we planned but in the end we are sometimes better because of it. 

There are people that are reading this blog that are facing challenges of their own.  Please feel free to share your inspirational story by responding below.  Perhaps someone will find strength in reading your story.

Early January Update

I hope everyone had a great New Year's!  Here is a little update as to what has been happening with the ministry....

Colynn Hodge has made up more prayer shawls.  Deb Hodge has kindly donated some beautiful gifts bags that are ideal to give the shawls away with.  I am busy making up some chemo hats.  This cold weather must be brutal on the chemo patients.  When I sit on my sofa in my living room I can feel the cold air pouring in through the window behind me.  I can't imagine how uncomfortable I would be if I had suddenly lost my hair.  Burr!

Idealy, I would like to get some lap throws made up.  I have a decent amount of yarn available to make them with.  I was going to crochet them with a basic single crochet and double crochet stitch combination.  The skeins of leftover worsted weight yarn that I have for this is ideal.  As always, I do not have as much time to complete these things as I would like but I am fitting in a few minutes here and there.  If anyone is interested in knitting or crocheting a throw I can give you the yarn that you need to make it up.

Tomorrow is my big day.  I get to go to the doctor to see if I can start walking without crutches.  I am so excited!  After a month of having to rely on help from my family I am ready to start walking again.  I miss my independence.  It really puts a new perspective on things.  As long as I am cleared to walk tomorrow I will be all set to run the errands of picking up supplies and delivering donations.  I am ready to get some things done.

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Thanks to everyone that contributed to the ministry in 2010.  Anyone that crafted up the items, donated supplies or funds and those that helped spread the word about the ministry all contributed to our success.  Thank you to every one of you!  We are looking forward to growing though out 2011.  We want to reach out and help as many people as we can.  This is going to be a great year!