Valuable email

Sometimes I find value in the oddest things. I feel like I should share it so that other people might find value in it too. There ARE a lot of "bad" things people say...but there are also a lot of VERY NICE things that people say.

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Karen:

I recently stumbled across your listing on Lion Brand Yarn's web listing of charities and would very much like to help out. I have been sewing charity items for an online group (All Crafts for Charity on Yahoo groups), but would very much like to do something more local. Can you tell me how I would get involved with your group? Do you have patterns that you require be used? How do you collect items that have been made? Would I have to attend meetings or something like that? I'd really appreciate any information you can give me.

Thank you.

Keep smilin'
Catherine

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Good afternoon Catherine,

YES! to your questions ~ smile~ - we'd love to have you help us and welcome you!!!!
Your involvement is much like that of the folks on AC4C - which I am also on. There is not limit to what we accept - nor any minimum.
All incoming finished [mostly] items are relayed, mailed, walked in to the office - which for us is my home in NE Ohio. {sometimes we are sent quilt tops and finish them here.} We have meetings we call gatherings - in a few different places non are mandatory. Volunteers for our charity are men and women, come from all around the states, and our dear friends in Canada, and one from Puerto Rico that you will recognize.
I would love it if you are close enough to attend a gathering - I'm in (small town) and we have a gathering of ladies tomorrow. If you are of a mind to come email right back and I'll toss the driving directions to you. Ladies from the Akron area, and all in between come over. We have another large group that meets in NW Ohio in Vermilion and several sprinkles of ten or more ladies that gather at homes or churches and relay to us here. I can give you more information whenever you want about these other spots.

We accept sewn items from our patterns - or charity patterns from the internet, commercial made patterns and some we have tweaked ourselves. Our mission is the premature age through ~ age 5 and the families they are living in. We support four agencies that directly deal with age 0 - 5 in clothing and blanket needs, and several hospitals - and 6 NICU's. We provide burials also. We do not supply hard equipment to families like cribs and such but one agency that we give to will accept gently worn things and any hard equipment coming along is directed to them.
Any other information you would like - you just speak right up OK?
I will tell you our charity is mission focused, and Christ centered. Not all of our members are, but we enjoy them anyway!All our deliveries run through our main office here and Christ is Glorified by what we do or we don't do it. Each facility has it's own preferences and it is my job to direct which facility gets what.
What do you like to sew? Do you quilt or make comforters? Do you prefer to make small infant items or children's? This is entirely up to you. We often get into a slump for the preemie things and go all out with toddler outfits. We've even been known to make up sheets for cribs! Quilts are our biggest need and if you are in Ohio we will be gathering in July in Bedford to crank out as many quilts together as possible!
I'm so glad you stopped by and asked me about our charity. It is a very dear to my heart project.
If you take a short tour through our big website you will see why this has become so dear. We also have a yahoo groups email which you are welcome to sign up for any time---- we're really quiet most of the time but I post to all at once through that email group.
Enjoy this beautiful day - and keep in touch!
<}}}>< Karen

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Karen:

Thank you for responding to my email. I'm sorry I couldn't get back to you in time for your gathering. Actually, I could have, I just needed time to digest and process all the information you shared before I decided what I wanted to do. Let me explain a little bit...I have one living son, Samuel, who is the light of my life. My second son, Alex, was stillborn at 35 weeks on May 11, 2005 and my third son, Travis, was stillborn at 20 weeks on May 8, 2006. As you can imagine, I have had what can best be described as a crisis of faith and am really just in need of some peace...not preaching. Also, given my recent involvement in the Pregnancy and Infant Loss community, I am staunchly pro-choice when it comes to medical termination of pregnancy. So it is a little intimidating to even consider volunteering in an organization like yours where the topics of God and Jesus just might come up a time or two. Quite honestly, I'm not sure we would be a good fit with one another. I think it might be best if I just stick with AC4C for now. I wish you all the best in your efforts.

Keep smilin'
Catherine

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Oh Catherine - my heart breaks for you. I have not suffered what you have gone through and I have no words of comfort. I can only tell you that I delivered our still born grandson of 18 weeks last year for our daughter and ....... and watching her and our son in law go through this was to say the least an experience of great sadness.
You are wise in saying we would possibly not be a good match, but I invite you to come be with us anytime in the future that you change your mind. Not all of our ladies have suffered as you have - but some, yes. They are not all "Christians", we welcome volunteers on the basis of their desire to help.
I am the one vocal of Jesus, you have that correct. I will not push this on you as it is not the right time to do that. I would not be able right not to explain the joy amidst adversity that I have had because of this relationship I have with Jesus. But I do offer you my heartfelt sympathies in your losses which must be harder than anything I can imagine.
That you are active and able to help others through AC4C is wonderful and amazing to me.
I hope the peace you need comes to you quickly. Again I am so sorry for the devastation you have been through. Please don't be offended but I will be praying this for you, to have peace. May it come quickly.
Thanks for stopping by!
<}}}>< Karen

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