GREAT VIDEO, PHOTOS, PROGRESS, POCKETS

WONDERFUL VIDEO

This video does a fantastic job of capturing just what Days for Girls is all about.  Enjoy!

DECEMBER WORKDAY

We had a great army of workers on December 1st, including four first-timers.  I was delighted with all that was accomplished! So much pressing, cutting, sewing, serging, folding, rolling, pinning and more!  Thanks to you all!  Here are a few photos.  I'm sorry that I didn't get everybody!

POCKETS AT HOME

Many of you are people who also sew other things, and nurture a healthy fabric stash at home.  If you have some darker/busy/irregular (quilters') cotton prints you'd like to make into pockets for our shields, that would be fantastic!  Pockets are apt to be the part of the shield most heavily stained, so as you select fabric, please think whether stains would show on that particular print.  If a girl is embarrassed to hang her components outside in the sun to dry because of stains, she may not be able to get them dry enough to kill germs.

We usually cut the fabric into 5" strips, or if that doesn't work for your scraps, the actual size we use for each pocket is 5" x 4.5, on grain.  Once cut, we fold and press them, so the height is now 2.5.   Then we topstitch 1/4" from that fold with matching thread (never light-colored).  Once topstitched, they can be rotary cut into 4.5" widths.  Finished size, folded, is 2.5" x 4.5".

Sometimes the pockets are made out of the same print as the shields. Often, though, they're selected as a print that looks great with the shield fabric.  



Dark, unpredictable, busy prints hide stains well.

Pocket-making is simple, but time-consuming.  

Selvage-to-selvage strip, top-stitched along fold, before cutting into 4.5" segments

2.5" x 4.5" and top stitched

Having lots of premade pockets means we have a better chance of finding pockets that look fantastic with the shield fabric.  

Here are some that were finished a while back.  Which is your favorite?  Mine is at 11:00.  Those fabrics look like they were made for each other.

JANUARY WORKDAY

Our next workday will be Saturday, January 5th, weather permitting. We have had to cancel a workday once or twice in years past because of bad weather or road conditions, so if you're not sure, check your email for a message from me, or this blog  (That's assuming I have electricity!).  In any case, always drive only when it's safe for you.

But if the weather's good, I hope you'll be able to join us each month.    

We meet at Our Sewing Room at 5th & Main from 10:00 to 4:30 each first Saturday.  As you can see from the photos, it's a fantastic place to work.  And we're fixing up some rooms in the back so we'll have additional space to work and store our kits and supplies.  That new space will also mean there will be some other times during the month that we can get together!  Stay tuned!

WHAT'S HAPPENING

DECEMBER 1

Our December workday is this Saturday, the 1st.  We've got lots to sew and serge, as well as many non-sewing tasks such as pressing, folding, cutting, pinning, etc.  If you bring your machine, please remember little things like power cord, bobbins, needles, seam ripper, thread snips, etc.  

I hope you can join us!  As usual, we'll meet at Our Sewing Room at 5th and Main in Springfield.  What's not "usual" this month is that Springfield's Christmas Parade will come down Main Street in the afternoon.  It starts many blocks away (28th and Olympic) at 1:00 pm  and won't hit our corner for probably a couple of hours after that, but please be aware that it may affect driving and parking near OSR. It's fun to be inside and warm and see the paraders going by.  The bank lot WILL be available, but probably will fill up fast.

GIVING TUESDAY

I find all of these "special" end-of-November days kind of, well, special . . . Thanksgiving, Black Friday (and in some stores, that includes Wednesday), Small Business Saturday, CyberMonday, Giving Tuesday.  Did I forget anything?

If you'd like to make a Giving Tuesday donation to support Days for Girls, you have options!  A donation to our chapter helps us help others.  We send kits to Third World countries (300 went out this month), but we also help local DFG Enterprises in those countries by providing them with supplies, transported by traveling friends and friends/relatives of friends.  This year we've helped Enterprises and local teams in Kenya (twice) and Peru, and in January, we're sending two suitcases full of fabric and other supplies to a brand new Enterprise in Ecuador.

Or, you can donate to our headquarters, and they'll also use the funds to assist Enterprises.  Here's an email from DFG founder Celeste Mergens:

Tomorrow, help bring health, dignity and opportunity to all by supporting Days for Girls Enterprises.  This Giving Tuesday, give the gift of opportunity by supporting the growth of Days for Girls Enterprises.  Our Enterprise program empowers local leaders to make and sell DfG pads and deliver health education, giving her what she needs to stay in school, while supporting local women-led businesses.

We're also excited to announce that the Vidovich Family has stepped up to match the first $25,000 in donations to Days for Girls International (matching funds go to DFGI).  That means that your gift goes twice as far.

Opportunity and empowerment for her starts with YOU.

Best of both worlds . . . make a donation online to our chapter (see link below) and if it's within the first $25,000 donated, we get your funds to use for kits, or supplies for Enterprises, and headquarters gets the matching funds to assist Enterprises.

CUSTOM LINK

If you make a monetary donation to our Eugene/Springfield Chapter, you can always hand or send me a check.  If you'd like an official receipt for tax purposes, please make the check out to Days for Girls and in the memo line, write Eugene Chapter.  If you don't need the official receipt, a check made out to Susan Mondon works too, and goes directly into our account, without first being sent to Bellingham.

Donating online is also a route to get funds to us, although there are fees deducted from the contribution before it gets to us, so we only receive about 95% of the money.  But if that's easiest for you, please use this custom link:
https://donate.daysforgirls.org/team/149456
Using the link will automatically direct donations to our Eugene/Springfield chapter.

THOUSANDS OF KITS TO KENYA

Huldah, a Kenya native living in San Diego now, is heading back to visit Kenya in January with her husband and baby daughter.  She took and distributed 1500 kits on a previous trip. This year, she requested 5000 kits.  She had a great response, relying heavily on Oregon, Arizona and California teams and chapters.  Because mailing those kits is pretty darn expensive, she and her husband took a quick trip as far north as Eugene, stopping along the way (coming up and heading back) to pick up kits many other teams and chapters had also readied for her. Our chapter contributed 300 kits.  Bringing together components to assemble that many kits meant a lot of empty boxes and tubs! 

Thanks to those of you who were able to come in one or two extra days to put those kits together.

I loaded them in my van and left them there, not knowing at that point what Huldah's schedule was and whether we would met up at our Springfield rooms or at my house.  

But, she kept in touch, and she and her husband arrived at my house in Eugene at about 9:30 one cold night a couple of weeks ago.  I turned flood lights on my driveway so we had a little bit of light. As we unloaded the bags of our kits packed by underwear size, they transferred the kits to bigger vacuum seal bags, also marked by size. Very organized, they brought not only the bags, but also a vacuum, and extension cord! As always, it was magical to see those bags shrink down to less than half their original size.  They would not have fit otherwise, and there were several hundred more to pick up after Eugene!

 

Those kits will soon be in Kenya changing the lives of thousands of girls!  Thank you all for the work and donations you contributed to make wonderful distributions like this happen!

Huldah also sends her thanks:  

As we all look forward to Thanksgiving and the start of a hectic Holiday season, my family and I want to say THANK YOU! Thank you to the leaders of each team that rallied their group to participate in this 5,000 kit request headed to Kenya. Thank you for the time, efforts and resources that it took to put together the number of kits you all did as a team. Thank you to those who were able to work with our travel schedule as we drove from San Diego to as far north as Eugene, OR on the weekend of Nov. 10 and 11 and also to the Arizona teams who were so gracious enough to drop off their kits at one location making is soo much easier for my husband to make a one day trip out to Mesa, AZ.  Thank to the teams who have and will within the next couple of weeks mail their kits to us. Lastly thank you to the teams that had kits ready for us but for one reason or another, we weren't able to reach you to collect them. Some of those team we are still working on transportation options and hopefully by mid December we would have a solution. 

To date, we have collected 3,620 kits THANKS TO ALL OF YOU!

My family and I will keep you all updated on our trip and will have tons of pics and videos of testimony to share from the girls and mothers once we return from Kenya. In the meantime enjoy some of the pictures from our two trips and the wonderful ladies we met along the way.

In conclusion, from my family thank you all for your hard work! Together, we will reach EVERY GIRL, EVERYWHERE, PERIOD! 

WASHCLOTHS

After putting together the 300 kits for Kenyan girls and women, I think what we are lowest on now is washcloths.  Target had Room Essentials 6-packs on sale last week, today they're 15% off for CyberMonday, and your guess is as good as mine about upcoming sales.  They're a good weight for our kits, and of course, the darker the color, the better.  Unfortunately, they're not currently selling the navy ones in 6-packs, but the grey or aqua are a good second choice.  Please avoid the Walmart 18-packs and other very thin ones.  They are poorly made and fall apart!  We also don't use the thicker, plusher ones as they won't dry completely in humid climates.

OUR NEW ROOMS

Many of you got a sneak preview, a "before" glimpse of the rooms at the back of the Our Sewing Room building that we'll be using for storage and additional work.  So, how're they coming along?  Slooooowly, to put it mildly.  Walls have been patched and have fresh coats of paint, 

but we have run into a few snags . . . . 

Old buildings do have issues.  So, as I said, progress is slow!

DEHUMIDIFIER?

Patty loaned us her dehumidifier.  We could use another one for the 2nd room.  Too bad I sold mine when we had a garage sale fundraiser for our chapter! Please let me know if you have one you're not using that you could loan/give us!

WE ARE THE WORLD

TODAY

Today, November 1, 2018, marks 10 years since Days for Girls International was founded.  

One way to mark the anniversary is by listening to We Are the World and thinking about its message.  

Are we doing enough?  Sadly, I fear we're not even close.


Admittedly, the kits made by Days for Girls volunteers are just a drop in the bucket, but for each girl receiving one, it can truly change her future, and affect future generations.

With every kit distributed, the girls also receive a presentation on human anatomy, the reproduction cycle, the importance of hygiene, and proper kit care.

TODAY--THURSDAY  

Lots of holes have been filled and I think we can begin painting our new space today!  Join us if you like being a painter.  Ladders and equipment welcome.  120 5th Street, Springfield!

SATURDAY

This Saturday is our November workday at Our Sewing Room.  We have every type of task available, in addition to sewing and serging.   Please join us if you're able, and stay as long as works for you. 

Some of what we'll be doing is prepping the components for a large batch of kits heading to Kenya, and then assembling those kits.

And, as mentioned in previous blogs, we'll also consider this a celebration of DFG's 10th birthday.  We hope you'll bring presents (scroll down to see suggestions) and enjoy some Sweet Life cake with us.

I appreciate your letting me know if you'll be joining us.  If you sew or serge, please bring your machine. Please sign our volunteer sheet when you arrive.  It's OK to park in the bank's lot across the street.  On-street parking is 2-hour, so be careful about that.  There are great eateries nearby, and Our Sewing Room has a fridge we can use if we bring things from home.

MEDFORD

The kits we assemble Saturday are being picked up by a Kenyan native now living in California.   She's taking 5000 (!) kits to Kenya, and west coast teams and chapters from Eugene south are providing them to her.  As Eugene is her last stop, we'd save her about 6 hours of driving time if we could get the kits to our DFG group in Medford, her next to last stop.

She'll be arriving on the 9th, so I'm looking for somebody driving south who could drop off bags of kits in Medford, between Sunday and Thursday of next week.

Are you heading to or through Medford, or do you know somebody who is?  If so, please let me know!

ONE DOCTOR WRITES ABOUT HOW SHE GOT INVOLVED

I thought you'd like to read this piece.

OUR 10th Birthday!

JOIN US NOVEMBER 3

Our November 3rd workday falls two days after the 10th anniversary of the founding of Days for Girls.  So, of course, our workday will also be a party!  I've ordered a cake from Sweet Life, and you are strongly encouraged to bring presents--large or small (suggestions below)--for our chapter. I suspect I'll also have leftover Halloween candy to contribute.  Please come between 10 am and 4 pm.  Stay for as long as works for you!

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL

Here are a few dozen photos of DFG volunteers and recipients on October 11, the International Day of the Girl!

And do watch this video about Michelle Obama's new Global Girls Alliance announced on the International Day of the Girl this month.

PLEASE CONSIDER THIS

Our kits last at least 3 years with proper care.  If a woman would be buying disposables over that period of time, she'd be out a lot of money, and have added not only approximately 1000 used pads, but also the plastic they're often wrapped in to the environment!

ALL ONE BIG TEAM

I often mention that it's great when travelers leaving the US are willing to check a suitcase full of DFG supplies.  Sometimes just getting kits and supplies to their final destination is the biggest hurdle.  In just the past few months, Linda took supplies to Kenya, Beth and Jim checked a bag of kits destined for mountain women in Peru, and Chris took a bag full of flannel for a New Zealand chapter (our US prices and selection are so much better).  And just a couple of weeks ago, our volunteer Heather let me know that she had relatives in St. Louis heading to Africa.  I found Gerry, the Rolla, Missouri team leader that packed (and had her daughter deliver to the traveling brother, Steve) a suitcase full of kits that left for Kenya yesterday.  I get tears in my eyes appreciating all these friends and strangers putting together the details and effort and time to get kits in the hands of more girls.  Thank you all from the bottom of my heart!

If you have travel in your future, and are willing to check a bag (or more), please let me know.  What is typically arranged is that the recipient will meet you at the airport or your first hotel.

EVEN MEDFORD

We actually could use transport for a few hundred kits by somebody traveling to Medford, between November 4 and 8.  Short window, I know.  There's a Kenyan woman who lives in California driving up the coast to pick up thousands of kits she'll be distributing on her next trip to Kenya.  Medford and Eugene are her last stops.  If we could get our kits to the Medford DFG team, that would save her about 6 hours of driving.  Please let me know if you're heading south!

KEEPING GIRLS IN SCHOOL

Our kits help keep girls in school.  In Chad, a girl is more likely to die in childbirth than attend secondary school.  Let that sink in.  Here is a moving video from UNICEF.

STORAGE AND PREP  SPACE

For about five years, much of my house, many closet shelves and a chunk of my garage have been filled to the gills with supplies/components/kits for Days for Girls, as well as areas for rotary cutting, and die cutting.  Each month, I've tried to pack every inch of my van with what I think we'll need for our workday, often not knowing who was coming, and with what skills.  Then I bring everything home, and try to reorganize it for the next month's workday.

A few years ago, I told Mary Jo, owner of Our Sewing Room and its building, that should it become available, I'd be interested in the space at the back of their building (facing 5th Street) that had been rented to a small church for decades.  Well, that group has given up their rooms, and I agreed to rent them.  The space definitely needs work, but eventually will be great for us to store, prep and organize everything we work on.  

I've been haunting BRING Recycling, the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, a couple of shops that were closing and selling or donating their store furnishings, and talking to friends who have tables, chairs and shelving to contribute.  

Can you help get our space useable? Let me know!  We're going to be cleaning and painting.  The carpet will have to be replaced.  Do you know anybody who could donate that or give us a great nonprofit discount?  I have scored some great work tables, about ten comfortable chairs on wheels, and some big shelving units.  We can definitely use more deep shelving.  A few ironing boards or tables (I got irons from Quiltwork Patches).  It desperately needs painting--do you enjoy that?  Volunteers are welcome--and so appreciated!  We've already been cleaning--carpets, windows, patching holes in wall.  The windows and blinds look so much better now! 

Jackie's been a tremendous help, not only washing windows, but helping with other cleaning, and hauling our furniture bargains in her pick-up.  A million thanks, Jackie!

I want to thank Beth for facilitating the donation of some tables and shelving from The Shamrock, now sadly closed. Why is it owners of favorite shops have to retire?  Same thing with Quiltwork Patches in Corvallis--they're selling me a few things from their shop.

Of course, help with the rent would be superb!   As a DFG birthday present or other donation?   Rent is $500 a month, which is incredibly cheap for commercial space, but pretty spendy for our little group that relies entirely on donations.  Do you know a service organization that would like to support us?  Some group that might like to have a fundraiser for our chapter?

I'm delighted with the opportunity to have more options for meeting and working during the month, and of course having our supplies stored and available where we work. 

10th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AND GIFT IDEAS

In 2007 Celeste Mergens became aware of the lack of reasonable options for girls in Kenya to manage their periods.  Her TED talk tells the story. 

On November 1, 2008 she founded Days for Girls.  As of last January, we had supplied kits to one million girls in 122 countries.  The number of chapters, teams and enterprises increase at a delightful rate and I'm sure we'll be hearing about the 2 millionth kit in the not too distant future.

So, of course I jumped at the opportunity to celebrate this 10-year milestone together with our group.  Our November workday is just two days after the birthday.  We'll work on kit components as usual, assemble a couple hundred kits going to Kenya, guiltlessly devour a chocolate cake from Sweet Life Patisserie, and hopefully receive presents from our volunteers and supporters.  Can you bring a present?  Large or small--they all help. Here are some suggestions:

Polyester thread--medium to dark colors.  Spools for regular sewing machines, cones for sergers.  

Underwear--the style we use is briefs (regular or lower cut).  Girls' sizes 10 to 16, and  women's sizes--up to size 8 is good.

Washcloths--medium to dark colors.  Target and Fred Meyers have a good weight for us.  Avoid the cheap, thin and poorly finished Walmart ones--they won't last, and also avoid thick lush ones--they won't dry in humid climates.

Fabric:  Because of cultural considerations, we avoid fabrics with certain prints:  anything with faces/eyes, camouflage, patriotic, religious/holiday, food, weapons, words, or culturally specific. 

If you have time to wash, dry and press it, that's greatly appreciated!

• Cotton Flannel--Busy, darker prints are best.  The best quality you can afford (higher thread count = more absorbent).   See fabric restrictions above.  
• Quilters' Cotton for Shields--Busy, darker prints are best.

PUL--Polyurethane Laminate:  This is what we put inside our shields, and we currently have plenty of that.  But if you can find some with a print that's not juvenile, we also use it for the Transport Bags that we send to Kenya.  They're a substitute for Ziplocs there, since single-use plastics are now banned.  JoAnn's sells it for washable diaper covers, and some of their prints aren't babyish.  When you have a 60%-off coupon, it becomes reasonably priced.

Rotary cutter blades--45mm or 60mm

Sewing machine needles--Microtex or sharps, size 12-14.

Small hotel soaps  don't buy soap, but please bring any extras from your travels.

Large Plastic totes (airtight)

And, of course, financial support!    If you'd like it to go towards our new space, please let me know!  Or, consider a monthly pledge towards rent.  You could even have it direct-deposited into our DFG account!

I made an online donation to our chapter on The International Day of the Girl, and learned the hard way that they will deduct credit card (and other?) fees from online donations.  A painful 5.26%! A donor to another chapter was charged 5.8%.  I was surprised, because that fee was waived in the past.

So please, if you'd like to make a monetary donation to our chapter, write a check, don't donate online!  You can make your check out to Days for Girls, and put Eugene, OR Chapter in the memo line.  I'm happy to send it in to headquarters for you.  (Or you can mail it to:  Days for Girls International, 102 Ohio Street, Bellingham, WA 98225--being sure to tell them it's for our chapter). They'll send you a receipt either way.  And we get 100% of that!

Do you work for a firm that matches donations?  That would be another bonus for us.  Our 501c3 number is 45-3934671.  And of course indicating Eugene Chapter is necessary for the donation to get to us. hey  

SPEAKING TO GROUPS

I'm always happy to talk to groups in our area (within an hour's drive), because I want everybody to know about Days for Girls, why we exist, and to consider supporting or joining us.  Awareness of the issue is the first step in solving it!  Thirty--forty minutes is great for a thorough presentation, although I can do more or less if requested.  In September, I presented at a Rotary meeting.  This month I'm speaking to a Lions group and a church group, and I talked to several dozen folks at our information table at the Emerald Valley Quilters quilt show.  In November I'm scheduled to present to a PEO chapter. If you belong to an organization that would like to hear about Days for Girls, please let me know.

OCTOBER 11 -- INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL

WHY IS IT CALLED "DAYS FOR GIRLS?"

Saturday at the Emerald Valley Quilters' quilt show, I had the opportunity to tell many people about Days for Girls and our local chapter.  One woman I spoke with for  a while advised me that my information booth/table really didn't give an idea of what "Days for Girls" is all about.  You can see that I had official posters here and there with my limited wall display space, but none of them gave a concise explanation.  I'll work on that.  While some people just glanced in the direction and then wandered on, most got close enough that I could ask them if they'd heard of Days for Girls and start a conversation.

I was delighted with the number of people who were interested in volunteering or donating fabric or funds.  Two people said they travel and would be willing to check a suitcase for us.  Over 20 people signed up to receive DFG emails.   Many people donated cash and a couple of vendors found a few pieces of stain-busting fabric that would work well, which they donated.

But, have you ever thought about the name of the organization?  Why is it called "Days for Girls?"  It's because when we give a girl a kit, we're giving her back 60 days a year to fully participate  in life.  When you do some math with those numbers, it's inspiring.  For example, I'm about to send 50 kits to Uganda.  That means in the expected minimum 3-year lives of those kits, 50 girls will each have 180 days of protection. The group of 50 teens together will have 9000 extra days of protection, which will mean that they can go to school or do what ever they choose with confidence.  That's the equivalent of almost 25 YEARS of reclaimed days for those girls! Deceptively packaged in pretty drawstring bags!  And this is just because of the 50 kits in a suitcase one man will check when he travels to Uganda this month!

THEY DO THE MATH

If you're a woman, have you ever thought about how many days you have menstruated and will menstruate in your life?  Here's a link where you can find that out--they do the math.  The site puts into perspective what this means for somebody who has to sit out of life every time she has a period.

TED TALK

Kayla-Leah is the leader of a Days for Girls Chapter in Idaho.  Her Ted Talk is being translated into into Arabic, Spanish, French, Italian, Korean, Dutch, Portuguese, Russian, and Chinese!

GREAT VIDEO

I probably posted this video of a Days for Girls distribution in Malawi before, but it's worth a rerun.  I LOVE the girls' reaction when they learn their kits will include underpants.

OCTOBER 11 IS THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL

The first International Day of the Girl (Child) was declared in 2012 by the United Nations. So much love is poured into improving the lives and futures of girls--by Days for Girls volunteers and so many others. Google "International Day of the Girl" and you'll find many links.  This quote is from the UN:

Since 2012, 11 October has been marked as the International Day of the Girl. The day aims to highlight and address the needs and challenges girls face, while promoting girls' empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights. 

2018 theme: With Her: A Skilled GirlForce

Today's generation of girls are preparing to enter a world of work that is being transformed by innovation and automation. Educated and skilled workers are in great demand, but roughly a quarter of young people – most of them female – are currently neither employed or in education or training.

Of the 1 billion young people – including 600 million adolescent girls – that will enter the workforce in the next decade, more than 90% of those living in developing countries will work in the informal sector, where low or no pay, abuse and exploitation are common. 

On 11 October, International Day of the Girl, we are working alongside all girls to expand existing learning opportunities, chart new pathways and calling on the global community to rethink how to prepare them for a successful transition into the world of work.

Under the theme, With Her: A Skilled GirlForce, International Day of the Girl will mark the beginning of a year-long effort to bring together partners and stakeholders to advocate for, and draw attention and investments to, the most pressing needs and opportunities for girls to attain skills for employability.

And, just posted by Days for Girls International:

Happy International Day of the Girl!  This year, with the theme "With Her: A Skilled Girl Force", the UN is calling on organizations, partners, and stakeholders everywhere to advocate for and work toward investing in opportunities for girls to attain skills for the workforce. 

At DfG, we work toward this every day, by supporting our local Enterprises to make and sell DfG Kits, and to be strong leaders and agents of change in their communities. 

Join us as today to celebrate girls, and as we launch our own year long campaign: #NeverAlonePeriod--letting women and girls everywhere know they are not alone in suffering lost opportunity, dignity and health due to something as basic and natural as having a period.

A CHALLENGE for THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL 2018

I challenge you all to spend some time Thursday (or this month) doing something that will benefit our less fortunate young sisters around the world!  If what you choose to do is monetary, here's the link to donate to our chapter online.  Donors are immediately provided with a receipt!

This fits right in with the Global Girls' Festival Days for Girls has created, for the 30 days leading up to our 10th birthday.  November 1.  They're also launching a year-long campaign--NeverAlonePeriod--so we are encouraged in many ways to jump in and change lives!

Oh, and about that 10th birthday?  Our chapter is celebrating it at our November 3 workday (2 days late).  Please come, enjoy each others' company, accomplish a lot, and delight in some scrumptious chocolate cake from Sweet Life Patisserie! Presents gladly accepted.  There's a list of gift suggestions in the September 13 post.

(Almost) FALL 2018 NEWS

MEDICAL INSURANCE IN INDIA

Officials in India have announced that they will be providing medical insurance coverage to 500 million of its poorest citizens.  Read this Newsweek article for more information.

HOW KENYAN STREET WOMEN DEAL WITH PERIODS

Please watch this video.  Be sure you have the captioning turned on.

SEPTEMBER WORKDAY

We had a small but mighty group toiling away on the holiday weekend.  As usual, I didn't remember to take photos until several had left--here is about half of our September group.

  

TOILETS, WASH, SEXUAL RISKS AND MORE

This article from Columbia University should be of interest to our volunteers.  In addition, on the right of the article, there are links to pieces on related issues.

OVER A BILLION PEOPLE

Please read this article from the New York Times.  And thank you for all you do to improve lives of the most impoverished in our world.

SCHLEPPING AND STORING AND DELIGHT

Every time we have a workday, I spend hours packing and bringing supplies to Our Sewing Room, then doling them out to our volunteers, and later loading up my van and taking stuff home again, reorganizing it to schlep the next time.  It's my least favorite part of Days for Girls work.  Many of you know my dream has always been to get the towers of boxes and tubs out of my home and be able to store them where we use them.  I've long had my eye on the 2-room space at the northeast corner (facing 5th Street and the Simpsons mural) of the building that houses Our Sewing Room.  It's been rented to the same tenants for decades, and I let Mary Jo know a few years ago that I'd be interested if those tenants ever moved on.  To my absolute delight, that group have decided not to continue to rent the space.  It's ours!  We will have monthly rent and SUB bill to pay, and any ideas and contributions toward that would be greatly appreciated.

Once those rooms are empty, we'll have some cleaning and painting to do.  I'll send out a call for volunteers--let me know then if that's something that appeals to you.  I've already had two people tell me they love to paint!

NO OCTOBER WORKDAY BUT A BIRTHDAY PARTY IN NOVEMBER!!

Because of numerous conflicts, we will not have a workday in October.  But please do plan to join us to (work and) celebrate Days for Girls' 10th birthday on November 3rd.  Expect to indulge in some incredible cake from Sweet Life Patisserie.  And presents for our Chapter are encouraged!

Some ideas for DFG birthday 🎁 gifts are:

• polyester thread in medium/dark to dark colors (for sergers and sewing machines)
• washcloths in medium to dark colors (Target's Room Essentials brand is a great medium weight for us)
• cotton briefs in girls' sizes 10-16 and women's smaller sizes
• Financial contribution of any size--you certainly can designate where you'd like your donation to go (such as rent or supplies or shipping)
• Ziploc brand freezer-weight gallon bags
• Quilt-weight/quality cotton fabric, in appealing medium to darker prints.
• Flannel in busy darker, stain-hiding prints.  The best quality (thicker, more absorbent) you can afford.  No shirting flannel.
• Gift cards to Target or Walmart or JoAnn's.  Will spend them when there's a great sale.

Fabric restrictions apply to the flannel as well as the shield and bag fabrics and underwear.  Busy, irregular, darker prints are best. We avoid camouflage, faces or any animals with eyes, anything religious, patriotic or suggestive, insects, words and food.  Busy florals are great for hiding stains, solids aren't. There are regions that are ok with some of the restricted designs, and we can direct any donated items to them--but if you're out buying, please avoid them. 

With the packaged children's underwear, you always get a variety, and we have a generous volunteer who is happy to dye the too-lights, and we can use the taboo designs in distributions to less restrictive populations (such as Haiti, Puerto Rico, Latin America and some Asian areas) or swap with another nonprofit.  Solids are fine for undies.

FABRIC SALES

If you're in the market for some high quality fabric, two local quilt shops are having sales or celebrations this week:

Piece by Piece (13th between Olive and Willamette in Eugene) is celebrating their 10th anniversary with "some fantastic discounts."  And "Enjoy prizes, drawings, give-aways, Cookies, Cookies and of course the always fun staff!"  Through Sunday, September 16.

Pandora's Box in Cottage Grove is having a sale.  Their fabric is 30% off, Friday and Saturday, September 14 & 15.

EMERALD VALLEY QUILTERS' SHOW

I'll have an information table at the EVQ show at the Lane County Fairgrounds the first weekend in October.  I hope you have time to enjoy the show--there will be lots of fun quilts and tempting vendors.  Stop by to say hi if you're there!