Size DOES matter!

AARP Plastic

In last week's mail,  I got yet another invitation to join AARP.  Normally I just separate the paper from the plastic and recycle.  But this time, it dawned on me that that plastic can be one of our Days for Girls tools.  It's 3.5" wide.  I cut off 1/4" down the long side, giving a width of 3.25", slightly rounded the corners, and now have a pocket tester to make sure our shields are being made wide enough for the liners to fit well.

Remember, if you make shields, the side seams need to be sewn at a scant 1/4" and the topstitching is just 1/8" from the edges.  Pressing as you go is recommended and seems to help the shields reach their full size--just keep the iron moving so you don't melt the PUL.

If you receive any of those plastic inserts, would you please bring them in?

This is of particular interest to me today as I'm starting to put snaps on 80 shields going to Tanzania in a few days.  I'm having to set aside dozens of beautifully sewn shields--seemingly perfect except for the size.  Frightening numbers have a pocket only 3" wide!  If you're one of our shield makers, please be extra careful of those two things--sewing the shields with a scant 1/4" seam allowance and topstitching them just 1/8" from the edges.

Until I get a good supply of these hard (like credit cards) plastic pocket testers to pass out, you can make your own by cutting a 3.25" strip off a cereal or other box.

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

YOU ARE A FANTASTIC GROUP!

Little did I know in those wee-morning hours when I first read about Days for Girls what was in store for me.  Not only have we been able to provide life-changing kits for several hundred girls in Third World countries, but I've met the most wonderful and generous people.

This mission strikes a chord with so many of us, causing us to count our lucky stars, and do what we can to help others.  You, our local supporters, have been so incredibly generous with your time, supplies and monetary donations!  I so appreciate you all!  I look forward to seeing everyone who is able to join us on our monthly workdays (now the first Saturday of each month), and feel incredibly grateful that the idea of what we do attracts such caring people--those who help provide our kits and others working with foreign populations who distribute them in the various countries.  You are the best!  I'm so lucky to have met so many caring people and have you on this journey with me!!

(And of course, it doesn't hurt that we get to play with lovely fabric while doing all this!)

NEPAL TRAGEDY

This tragic note from Nepal.  Let's hope our work is preventing more incidents like this.

IN INDIA

How women are treated when they menstruate varies from country to country.  Here's an article about  the situation in India.

DONATIONS

I hope you all know that your donations to Days for Girls are tax deductible.  If you've made a monetary donation via Crowdrise, you received a receipt from them online.  If you've donated supplies and don't already have a receipt from me, please let me know at one of our workdays.  I bring them with me.

And if you'd like to make a donation before 2016 draws to a close, you can go to our Eugene Chapter page on the Thread of Hope online fundraiser.  Most of the year, headquarters keeps 10% of all donations to the teams and chapters for their overhead expenses.  But with these online fundraisers through Crowdrise, 100% of every donation comes to our chapter.  Headquarters has told me that this Thread of Hope fundraiser will continue at least "through the holidays."

298

OUR DECEMBER WORK DAY

December 3 we held our last gathering of 2016.  The big event of the day was assembling 200 kits for girls in Kenya.  I had so much stuff to bring, I made two trips.  Friday night was a minivan-load of components for the 200 kits.  Saturday morning I hauled over all the supplies for the rest of the work we did that day.

First snaps had to be added to several dozen shields that needed that last step.  Then a few people preloaded the shields--one liner in one, 2 liners in the other.  The undies were boxed by size (10 & 12) and prefolded.  The washcloths had their tags removed and were also folded.  Then I set up the supplies and we started an assembly line.  It was fun and fast, and those 200 beautiful kits are ready to help keep girls in school.

Ellen, head of the Central Oregon Chapter, had a bunch (98!) of postpartum kits that needed a home.  I had asked Gwen if she thought they would like them at the clinics in the communities assisted by her nonprofit, Friends of Kenya Schools and Wildlife.  Yes!  Ellen happened to be in Springfield that Saturday and delivered them to us.  Gwen went home with a car solidly packed with 298 beautiful regular and postpartum kits!  And Ellen and I now have a bit more room in our homes. 

Assembling these colorful kits is always fun--it's great to see them all put together and know that they're going to be helping girls stay in school.  I'm always so impressed and proud of all the quality work our volunteers put into creating these kits.

Of course, that's not all we did that workday--there was lots of cutting, sewing, serging, pressing and so on.  

While we worked, the Springfield Christmas Parade was passing by in front of Our Sewing Room.

NEXT MEETINGS

Our next workday will be January 7th.  It looks like we'll be able to meet on the first Saturday of every month in 2017, except February.  February's workday will NOT be the first Saturday, as I've been invited to speak about Days for Girls at a regional Lions Club International convention in Corvallis.  Stay tuned to find out just when our February workday will be.  I'll put that information on this blog as soon as I know, and of course will send an email too.

HOLIDAYS

I hope you all enjoy your holiday celebrations!  I look forward to seeing everyone January 7th at Our Sewing Room.  I'll be ready to hand out tasks by 10:30 that morning.  We are usually packed up and gone between 4:30 and 5:00.