SUPPORTING DAYS FOR GIRLS
In the Revlon Challenge, Days for Girls International, formed just 8 years ago, went head to head with some huge long-established international charities. With all of our grassroots support, we were able to hold our own, and ended up in 3rd place. All great causes, so we can't feel TOO bad, and we did win $75,000 plus some bonuses. First and second place, as you can see below, went to organizations fighting cancer. All of these dollars make a difference.
Our little Eugene chapter really shone--with so many generous contributions, and supporters urging friends to contribute.
We received 34 individual donations during the Revlon Challenge. The total included $210 donated at my DFG information booth at the Emerald Valley Quilters' show earlier this month and $1150 from the joint yard sale we held with the Springfield Lions in August. We will do that again next summer, so do save items to contribute. It all helps us help more girls and women.
In this fall fundraiser, all the teams, chapters and others fundraising for Days for Girls International are listed on the fundraiser website. Mostly they are local teams and chapters, like us, fundraising for the supplies we need to make the kits. A few are representing a country where they have DFG teams or chapters--Paraguay, Ghana, Uganda and the Philippines are ones I noticed. But one that really tugged at my heart was listed as "For Maddy." Sadly, this high school girl, a volunteer for Days for Girls for a couple of years, died October 4th. Contributions to Days for Girls in her honor and memory totaled almost $9000. What a beautiful tribute!
So this got me thinking. I need to update my will, and will include Days for Girls Eugene in my nonprofit bequests, and instruct my family to request donations to our chapter in lieu of flowers. And then there's my quilt fabric stash--lots of lovely darker fabrics there . . . . We got a generous donation earlier this year from the family of a Portland-area quilter who was going into memory care. They were delighted that her pretty fabric and related items would be helping to keep girls in school.
HOW SMALL?
A question I'm often asked is how small a piece of fabric is useful. Our pockets are made out of (washed & dried) medium-dark stain-hiding quilter's cotton print fabric that's 5" x 4.5". For those of us who are quilters, we often have leftover pieces that would make great pockets. If I have longer pieces, I like to cut them in 5" strips (selvage to selvage is great). Then I fold and press them in half so I have a folded strip that's 2.5" wide. The next step is to topstitch 1/4" from the fold, using matching or coordinating thread--same color top and bobbin. Last step is to cut them into 4.5" lengths. Final product, ready to go in shields, measures 2.5" x 4.5". This is a great use for those smaller pieces of fabric at home (that you can't bear to toss?). And it's even more exciting and appreciated if you do the work and bring us the finished pockets!
Bigger pieces left over from a project or calling to you at the fabric store/quilt shop?
If you have leftovers of washed, good quality, stain-hiding flannel, we cut that in strips 5.75" and 8.75" wide. Prints work better than solids to hide stains.
For the shields and bags, we use good quality quilters' weight cotton.
For the shields, busy medium to dark prints that will do a good job of hiding stains. After washing, we cut this fabric in 50" lengths (by 42"-44" width) for the Accuquilt. We need to darker prints because girls won't hang them in the sun (necessary to kill germs) if they show stains.
We use our most beautiful fabric for bags. No large areas of white or light colors, as they might often be set on the dirt. The bags are the public face of the kits. The girls want something they're not embarrassed to carry, and will use these every day, not just during their periods. We cut them 12" x 29", an inch bigger in both directions than the minimum. This helps the Ziplocs slip in and out more easily (less wear and tear).
All fabric should be washed, dried and pressed before being cut.
Fabric restrictions are discussed in earlier blogs. The biggest ones people forget are: 1) no camouflage in any color, and 2) no animals or people showing a face.
A question I'm often asked is how small a piece of fabric is useful. Our pockets are made out of (washed & dried) medium-dark stain-hiding quilter's cotton print fabric that's 5" x 4.5". For those of us who are quilters, we often have leftover pieces that would make great pockets. If I have longer pieces, I like to cut them in 5" strips (selvage to selvage is great). Then I fold and press them in half so I have a folded strip that's 2.5" wide. The next step is to topstitch 1/4" from the fold, using matching or coordinating thread--same color top and bobbin. Last step is to cut them into 4.5" lengths. Final product, ready to go in shields, measures 2.5" x 4.5". This is a great use for those smaller pieces of fabric at home (that you can't bear to toss?). And it's even more exciting and appreciated if you do the work and bring us the finished pockets!
Bigger pieces left over from a project or calling to you at the fabric store/quilt shop?
If you have leftovers of washed, good quality, stain-hiding flannel, we cut that in strips 5.75" and 8.75" wide. Prints work better than solids to hide stains.
For the shields and bags, we use good quality quilters' weight cotton.
For the shields, busy medium to dark prints that will do a good job of hiding stains. After washing, we cut this fabric in 50" lengths (by 42"-44" width) for the Accuquilt. We need to darker prints because girls won't hang them in the sun (necessary to kill germs) if they show stains.
We use our most beautiful fabric for bags. No large areas of white or light colors, as they might often be set on the dirt. The bags are the public face of the kits. The girls want something they're not embarrassed to carry, and will use these every day, not just during their periods. We cut them 12" x 29", an inch bigger in both directions than the minimum. This helps the Ziplocs slip in and out more easily (less wear and tear).
All fabric should be washed, dried and pressed before being cut.
Fabric restrictions are discussed in earlier blogs. The biggest ones people forget are: 1) no camouflage in any color, and 2) no animals or people showing a face.
THIS SATURDAY
We've now switched our workdays to the first Saturday of the month. I arrive at 10 to set up, so it's good if you come after 10:30, and we're there until they close at 5:00. We still meet at Our Sewing Room at 5th and Main in Springfield.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAYS FOR GIRLS--November 1!
It's amazing how many hundreds of thousands girls and women have been reached in just 8 years, thanks to our fantastic, amazing, compassionate and dedicated volunteers on 6 continents!
We've now switched our workdays to the first Saturday of the month. I arrive at 10 to set up, so it's good if you come after 10:30, and we're there until they close at 5:00. We still meet at Our Sewing Room at 5th and Main in Springfield.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAYS FOR GIRLS--November 1!
It's amazing how many hundreds of thousands girls and women have been reached in just 8 years, thanks to our fantastic, amazing, compassionate and dedicated volunteers on 6 continents!
Every Girl. Everywhere Period.
