WILD IN EUGENE

On August 8th, I was delighted to be invited to speak briefly at the Mobility International sponsored 2016 Women's Institute on Leadership and Disability (WILD).  Twenty women with various disabilities had been selected out of hundreds of applicants from around the world to attend this special 3-week leadership and advocacy training in Eugene.

I told the women about Days for Girls, what we do and why.  This was the first time I've spoken to a group where my words were simultaneously being signed int ASL and another more global sign language, translated into Spanish and I think one other language, and typed into a computer then projected on a big screen next to me.  I was allotted only 5-10 minutes, so I had to go fast and only hit the high points.

Talking to the whole group

I showed them a kit and explained all the components and offered a kit to each of the 20 women.  I had printed off copies of a small booklet that's a very brief summary of what they'd learn in the educational part of a distribution.  They each got one of those and a business card with all my contact information.  And I offered to fill orders for those who thought they'd like to take some kits back to their communities.

They were invited to come talk to me after their meeting and I think they all at least stopped by to pick up the handouts and kits.

Several gave me their business cards.   I met Hellen from Nigeria, and she will be distributing 150 kits to her students.   Amazingly, someone at DFG headquarters has a friend traveling to Nigeria in October, and the kits will fly along with her!

With Hellen

Jemimah said she'd love to make kits with her group in Kenya--they have sewing machines and a serger.  Were there any grants to get started on supplies?  I passed her query on to someone from the King City Lions, who just happened to call me a couple of days later about speaking to that group, and gave him her information.  I'm hopeful that will work out--he sounded very interested.  But, in the interim, I'm packing up a duffle bag of supplies so these Kenyans can get started sewing on some life-changing kits.

With Jemimah

WORK DAY THIS SUNDAY

Please join us Sunday, August 21 at the air conditioned Our Sewing Room to work on kits.  For what supplies to bring, scroll down to earlier posts.  We will be there from 10 to 5.  We have plenty of sewing, serging and no-special-skill-required jobs available.

OUR BIG YARD SALE

We're going to try having a huge yard sale to raise money for our chapter's expenses.  I hope you have some things to donate (please pre-price them), will be able to volunteer, and will find some fun things to buy.

I'm planning on an area of fabric and quilting supplies--do you have something to add to that? Or want to buy?  There will be a variety of vintage sewing machines too, some to use, some to admire and use as decor.

The dates are Friday--Sunday, August 26--28th, with set-up on Thursday.  Can you bring your donations on Thursday morning?

The Springfield Lions are joining us in this--they have lots of experience with big garage/yard sales.  My last garage sale was in the early 90s, so they're leading the way.