FUNDRAISING
As you're all probably aware, our Days for Girls chapter relies entirely on donations to operate. All of the kit supplies you bring in, all the contributions you make to online fundraisers, all the many hours you spend cutting, pressing, sewing, serging, etc., it all adds up to life-changing kits. We get NO financial support from headquarters.
So, I'm always delighted when I can tell you about a fundraising opportunity, and doubly pleased when there are two to announce:
THE FIRST ONE:
The last weekend in August we will hold a big yard sale in conjunction with the Springfield Lions Club, which has been very supportive of our chapter. At this time, we're expecting to be open for business from 9:00 to 4:00 Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 26, 27 and 28. It will be at 250 Palomino Drive, between Harlow and Sorrel, in Eugene. Mark your calendars.
There are four ways you can help:
- Donate some great (pre-priced) items to the sale
- Help out for a few hours setting up and/or working at the event
- Come to the sale and BUY when you spot those items you can't live without, or need to give as gifts
- Spread the word! Tell everyone you know who loves garage sales, or who wants to support Days for Girls. Post it at work, at church, in newsletters, etc.
If you have garage sale expertise, display tables, ideas for something out of the ordinary (bake sale, etc.) please let me know. It is a very big driveway, so we will have lots of room for enticing merchandise!
THE SECOND ONE:
DFGI has just notified us that starting in August, they will once again be keeping 10 percent of all monetary donations made to our chapter, except during one or two online fundraisers. And here's the first one, where 100% of all contributions will go to our group.
There will be an online fundraiser running from September 14 to October 26. Supporters of our Eugene/Springfield chapter donated several hundred dollars in the Revlon Challenge last year. If you're considering a monetary contribution to our chapter, this would be the time to do it. I'll give you more information in September, but you would just go to the fundraiser website (I'll give you the exact link later), scroll down to find this picture of some bags and shields and the words "Eugene, OR," and click on that.
You can be anonymous, you can leave a message, you can donate in honor or memory of somebody. All will improve the lives of some appreciative girls! If you want your contribution to be in honor of someone, I also have slips of paper you can give them that say that has been done. Just let me know.
Announcing 2016 Revlon Challenge
September 14th - Oct 26th
The Revlon Challenge has invited us to participate again this year and the benefits are bigger and more prize levels. Last year, with the amazing support of DfG Chapters, Teams and supporters, we were able to win 4th Place. That was a phenomenal accomplishment since we were up against the big leagues (like American Cancer Society… big). The challenge will serve as the 2016 Annual Days for Girls Crowdrise Challenge and thanks to Revlon and Days for Girls International, ALL proceeds, including the processing fees, will be covered! 100% for you during the challenge. So you can set a goal of doing your entire planned annual funding if you’d like and help us all win BIG for girls.
UNDERWEAR
August was the time of year in 2014 and 2015 that Target and Walmart had their best deals on girls' briefs. What we've seen previously was 9-packs with 3 bonus pairs, for as low as $5.99. So, 50¢ a pair, and if you use a Target card, you can get an additional discount. The fabrics typically have a variety of designs and colors, often including ones too light to hide stains well.
This week's Walmart flyer lists 12-packs of Hanes girls' briefs for $6.94 (59¢ a pair). That may or may not be the lowest price of the season. They also have women's 8-packs for $6.94 (89¢ a pair), also an excellent deal. Target.com has 9-packs of girls briefs for $5.99 (60¢ a pair). Please remember that we use regular briefs, not low-cut. Previously they approved hipsters, but have found that the briefs work better.
We're delighted that Laura continues to dye our too-light panties in lovely, rich, stain-hiding colors. Here's a peek at the most recent batch she returned, along with some flannel that was previously too light. All very beautiful and usable now!
Thank you SO much, Laura! Your continuing willingness to dye means that we can use more of the undies in the packs, and can use more of the flannel and washcloths donated to us. Last year we traded those with animal prints with Bags of Love, so 100% of the briefs met DFG guidelines.
What size briefs we use will vary depending on the group that receives them. For that reason, we normally don't put our kits together until we've received a request and know what underwear sizes they have requested.
We should be sending a few hundred kits to Ugandan refugees in the fall, and hope to soon know what sizes they'd like us to pack.
In any case, the sizes DFGI says to buy are Girls' 10, 12, 14, and 16 and Women's 5, 6 and 7. They say that Girls' 16 is the same as Women's 5.
SOME STATISTICS--all continually increasing
101 . . . . Days for Girls has distributed kits to girls and women in 101 countries
500 . . . . Our Chapter has sent over 500 kits and some components to Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, Zimbabwe and India, as well as a few hundred liners to headquarters (they didn't say where they were headed)
670 . . . . There are now 670 Days for Girls Chapters and Teams around the world. Several come on board every week.
350,000 . . . . Days for Girls has changed the lives of over 350,000 girls and women . . . and counting! It's so impressive to think we're giving back about 60 days a year to each of them! What would you do with 60 extra days a year?
KIT CHANGES
Days for Girls listens to the feedback received from the girls and women using the kits. A recent change is based on information that for some with heavy flow and some with fistulas or other conditions, our regular kits were not absorbent enough. We had two absorbencies--regular and postpartum. There is now a new "Heavy Flow" design to replace the postpartum kit, and it includes a regular and a longer shield, and more liners in two sizes. The good news is that we will still cut our flannel strips the same width. Once the two layers are sewn together, they'll then be cut into 2 different lengths--8.75" and 11.5". One will be a square and the other a rectangle.
This photo shows the new Heavy Flow liner open, folded in fourths to be used in a regular shield, and folded in thirds for the longer shield. The width ends up the same. A regular liner can be inserted inside the latter configuration, which would give 12 layers of flannel without extra bulk in the pockets. Or you could put the shorter folded version of this Heavy Flow liner inside the longer version for 14 layers in the middle. Nifty, eh?
NEXT WORKDAY
The third Sunday in August falls on the 21st. We'll be at Our Sewing Room from 10 to 5. I hope you can join us. If you have some things to contribute to the garage sale fundraiser, you can bring them that day.
