Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Here is your chance to help!

Here it is, your chance to help one of our own and yes, though I am retired, I will always consider myself a part of the emergency telecommunications family.

So, here is a quilt I am putting together for one of our own in need and no, when I am done, it will not look this way any longer, but much nicer.

I keep receiving Emails from those of you who tell me you will be here for me, you want to help me continue this blessing to others in need and yet when it comes time to step-up, no one is around.

When I send Emails, all of a sudden it is like you have fallen off the planet and I know better!

So, 2008 I was able to provide 4 quilts to dispatchers families in need and am currently finishing up a 2008 project while 2009 is beginning to beg for help. Are you ready? Are you wanting to help walk the walk or just blow smoke at me and talk smack forever?

This is serious business people, I am serious about helping others and I am giving you a prime opportunity to help with blessing those of us in need!

Right now, JoAnn Fabrics is having a fantastic on-line sale and I am always desperately in the need of batting. I can purchase or give you the information to purchase for me, 2 bolts of 54" wide batting that will make many quilts and all for just under $80. What is that, your daily Starbucks for a month? Your snacks for a month, pop, cigarettes, what would you have to do to give up $80.

I have a huge list of things I need, but right now batting is at the top of my list and I have a promotional code until the 21st of January that gives free shipping so send me an Email and I will tell you how to do this.

Either way, I am taking the opportunity to get this, I can't go wrong and if I have to purchase it myself so be it.

You have opportunity to be a huge part of this compassionate quilting for dispatchers, your center can make a difference. Please, stop sitting on your butts and thinking someone else is going to help and help me help others!

Friday, January 09, 2009

Once Again, I Need Help!

It just overwhelms me when I see so many dispatchers going through illnesses, deaths, home losses due to disasters or fire, family losses, etc. and yet, I have rarely ever had anyone contact me to help with the costs of my quilts.

911 Cares was a huge help during the Hurricane Katrina times and I was able to get many quilts out & some I never could complete due to injury and illness and that haunts me every time I sit down at my sewing machine. I recently wrote to the dispatcher there I had kept in contact with, but no reply at all from that end, so I am officially done with all of those quilts.

Recently, I completed one for a very ill young man who is undergoing treatments for Histiocytosis and was blessed to have his mothers supervisor say they will take up a collection and he will personally sponsor a quilt. So, that gives me the courage to continue on this journey knowing 2 more quilts will be able to be paid for.

I am not a cheapskate people, on the contrary, almost every quilt I have made has come from my pocket. I was blessed during the Virginia Tech shootings to have many people send me money and donate fabric and thread to complete 9 quilts in one week and pay for the postage.

Hurricane Katrina victims were blessed by 911 cares, a previous quilt shop owner who donated me the remaining amount of her fabric & thread. A co-worker who gave me a $15 check and a co-worker who donated an entire bolt of batting.

However, as a substitute teacher, I do not always have the funds to pay for fabric, batting and postage & I am asking once again for your support.

I recently sent a quilt to someone in need, all costs were out of my pocket. I am working on one now that the postage has been sponsored by a supervisor of the recipient, but already, I notice another person from 911 cares in need of a quilt.

Here is the breakdown costs for that quilt:
Fat Quarters $30 includes postage
Batting $25 (I only use natural batting when it comes to people suffering from illnesses)
Backing and Binding $40
Postage $12

Total Cost: $107

The cost for a month of Starbucks is $120 for tall's. Subway at $5 per work day $125. Soda at $1 per can per day $30.

I need a dispatch center to sponsor this next quilt.

If you can do this, please contact me for mailing instructions. If you would feel better buying the items yourself and mailing them to me, please contact me for ordering instructions. Don't assume someone else will do this, they don't and probably won't.

I need your help to help one of our/your own, won't you help me?