Interview with Yvonne Ortega on blog radio

Today national speaker and author of the book, Finding Hope for Your Journey through Breast Cancer, Yvonne Ortega interviewed me about Stitches of Hope. This was no ordinary interview. It was done via Yvonne’s radio blog called http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hope-for-the-journey.

This type of blog/radio format is new to me. I’ve been interviewed on radio, newspaper and TV, but this is a first for blog radio.

For 30 minutes  Yvonne and I talked about what Stitches of Hope is and how other people can become involved. The show will be available at this site for 1 week.

Yvonne and I met on a writing online forum. In that respect she also mentioned my nine children’s books and website where more of my writing can be found. www.KayleenR.com

But we primarily mentioned the Stitches of Hope blog as a place where people can find more information. Yvonne has approximately 3,000 listeners, making the possibilities of extending our Stitches of Hope influence to people who need caps seem infinitesimal!

Please let me know if there is a medical facility interested in receiving our caps. We have sent approximately 5,000 caps to facilities in dozens of states. As long as our local volunteers continue to show interest in helping people, I’ll continue to send them out.

Thanks to everyone for your help. We could not do it without you.

God bless.

Mrs. Indiana visits Stitches of Hope volunteers!

Good day!




We are experiencing sun, but nearly freezing temperatures! How does that happen? Some of you might have gone shopping today, the day known as Black Friday. I can think of nothing worse than shopping early in the cold. OK, I can probably think of something worse than that, but I’m content just staying home updating this blog.

We have some exciting things happening! First, notice the special guest in our photos. Angela Witte from Fort Wayne was crowned Mrs. Indiana on November 13, 2010. She will compete for Mrs. America in April. While interviewing her for a newspaper story, I discovered she is available and anxious to attend charity and volunteer meetings to be involved in community service. When I asked her to attend our next Stitches of Hope meeting, she jumped at the chance.

Angela was a delight for us to get to know at the meeting as you’ll see from our smiling faces (she is the one wearing the crown).

She was amazed, as are all of our visitors, at the number and quality of our caps. “They are boutique quality,” she said to me. That is our emphasis in sending out caps – they must be clean, pet-free, smoke-free, new yarn, soft and beautiful! Sounds like a tall order but our volunteers always come through. This past meeting we had two garbage bags full of caps to send out. Several churches help us. We could not do it without them.

The caps are now making their way to children’s hospitals across the nation from coast to coast. In future posts I’ll relay some of the words of thanks we’ve received from these facilities. They’re coming in hard and fast!

The financial contributions of our volunteers and a local organization called Wells Community Health Services Foundation Auxiliary enable us to send out hundreds of caps each month (fewer in the warmer months). Thus far, we have sent out approximately 5,000 caps in 2.5 years!



Thanks to everyone who has made this possible. It’s such a joy working with people who care about comforting people of all ages who are ill and need encouragement.

Take care,
Kayleen Reusser
stitchesofhope@gmail.com

Karen and Kayleen to be Interviewed on WBCL-FM Radio

Don't you just love this model's eye shadow?

Good day!

We hope you're doing well.

Big news for Stitches of Hope!

On Wed, June 23, Karen Story and I will be interviewed by Lynne Ford on 'Mid-Morning' on WBCL-FM Radio 90.3. The segment will run 9:15-9:25. She will ask us questions about Stitches of Hope. Please listen in and then spread the word about the work we do in creating and distributing free caps to people who need them, due to loss of hair from illness. We'll mention the types of caps we send out, the number of places who can use them and our volunteers. Hope we can squeeze it all in in 10 mins! Please listen!

Take care,

Kayleen Reusser

Update on Joan Brewer

These are pretty caps -- crocheted and knitted -- that have come in lately from volunteers. Aren't they attractive? They will be sent to people who have lost hair due to cancer.

**

Hello!

It's been a while since I've added a new post to this blog. I apologize but it's been a hectic month. Some of you know that my mom, Joan Brewer, suffered a stroke on April 30. Mom has been an active supporter of Stitches of Hope since our beginning in July 2008. She has supported us in every way from crocheting caps to writing thank you notes to people who donated caps to us to attending every meeting and most of all, for tagging each of the 4,000+ items we have donated to people in need (we pin a small tag to each item so recipients know who created the free items).

She has recovered somewhat from the stroke which affected her right side and is doing well in Rehab.

Thanks to those of you who knew about Mom's health and have called or sent cards. We appreciate it.

Tomorrow night will be my first SOH meeting w/o Mom. We always rode together in her SUV and always came home with a backseat full of donated caps, ready to send to people who have lost hair from cancer or other illness. It will be a tough time, but the dozen or so volunteers who will be there have become good friends and will help me through it. I'll give her a full report the next time I visit Mom.

Thanks for your support and help in taking up the slack w/ helping me, due to Mom's absence. With God's help we can continue.

Take care,

Kayleen Reusser

Presbyterian Blume Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Clinic

Take a look at these cuties wearing Stitches of Hope caps!

Hello! Are you enjoying the spring weather? Mom and I visited Foster Park in Ft Wayne during a warm day and saw hundreds of tulips in every color. It was a feast for the eyes!

If you have not already done so, please look for these precious posies before they’re gone and be thankful to God to celebrate fresh air, beauty in nature and the ability to see and smell these items.

Every day is a blessing. Some days are easier to call a blessing than others, I admit that’s true, but just continue to count your blessings and they will continue to fall around you.

I want to share a thank you note we’ve received lately from Katy Field, Certified Child Life Specialist, Presbyterian Blume Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Clinic, Charlotte, NC.

Stitches of Hope has sent dozens of caps to this facility.

Katy said: “I just wanted to say thank you for the wonderful and beautiful caps you are sending to our kids. We recently received two shipments of hats from you all. They are a huge hit. We should be good on hats for a little while from these last two shipments. Thank so much for all that you do, and for sharing with our children and young adults!”

The Blume Clinic is an outpatient facility and part of Presbyterian Hemby Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, NC. They have usually 50 oncology patients at a time and see hundreds of hematology patients ranging in age from birth to 22, though they may have patients in their mid- to late 20s if diagnosed with a pediatric cancer.

The Presbyterian Hemby Children’s Hospital includes a 42-bed pediatric unit, 8-bed pediatric ICU, 14-bed pediatric emergency department, 6-bed pediatric observation unit, and 65-bed NICU.

Katy also emailed me photos of the clinic, which I’ve pasted at our website. Please take a look at what this marvelous staff is doing for children. I plan to paste other thank you notes at the website as well so keep an eye on this site to see what our recipients think of our efforts! You’ll be blessed!

Volunteers of Stitches of Hope distribute each high quality cap or scarf at no charge to recipients, usually cancer patients, at medical facilities around the US.

We meet the 4th Monday night of each month from 6pm-8:00pm at the 1st United Methodist Church, 325 W. Washington St in Bluffton IN. We do our best to notify members if there is a change.

The next Stitches of Hope meetings will be on the following dates: April 26; May 24; June 28.
Everyone is welcome to bring projects to the meetings to work on or come to learn how to make a cap or just help us tag them.

Donations can be dropped off or sent to:
Quilts n Gifts Shop
2035 Commerce Dr
Bluffton IN 46714
http://www.quiltsngifts.net/

Thanks for all of your help! We couldn't do it without you!
Kayleen Reusser (260.824.8573)
Karen Story (260.824.8743)
stitchesofhope@gmail.com K4storys@gmail.com.

Notice of next Stitches of Hope meeting

I just took a nice long walk and enjoyed every minute! The sun was on my face and my body now feels invigorated. I hope everyone reading this is able to enjoy the spring weather, too.

We’re still rounding up sewers for turbans. The home ec teacher in the school system where I work suggested that some high school girls might be interested in helping create these. The school secretary put a note I sent to her about Stitches of Hope on the school’s website. Hopefully, it will generate some interest in sewing these simple projects. Maybe you know of a way to let others know about Stitches of Hope. Be sure to direct them to this blog so they can learn all about us.

We’re still collecting crocheted and knitted caps, but at this time please use lighter weight yarn and lighter colors to depict warm, summer weather. Here are a few samples of caps we’ve received.

Our next meeting is coming up on April 26. We meet monthly at 6:00pm at the First Methodist Church in Bluffton on West Washington St. you can bring items to work on or come and learn how to knit/crochet. It’s a great time to chat and catch up on news with other people in the area. We hope to see you there!

Take care,

Recently Stitches of Hope received a nice note from the daughter of a recipient of our caps. She has given me permission to post it here:

Hello,
I wanted to express how grateful I am for the caps that are provided to the cancer patients. My mom battled cancer for over a year and loved to pick up a new cap when they were available. She had a wig to wear that really looked like her real hair. However, she would much rather have had a knitted cap on. She wore one everywhere she went.

Unfortunately, she passed away in February. When she was in the hospital, she would ask me every time I came to visit her to swing by the cancer center at St. Elizabeth in Edgewood, KY, to see if there were any new caps there.

I know she and my family were very appreciative of your organization.

Everyone involved should know how grateful the patients and the families are for what they are doing. When someone is going through so terrible a thing in their life, it is the little things that make them smile.

Once again thank you and everyone else very much for taking the time out of your lives to help others.

Thanks,
Jennifer
**

This is a new cancer facility that we just began sending caps to in the last few months. It’s nice to know our caps are getting to the people who need them.

If you have any questions about Stitches of Hope, please send them to

StitchesofHope@gmail.com

Take care,

Stitches of Hope Feb meeting is a record-breaker!

We had a great Stitches of Hope meeting a few days ago. A new record may have been set – 19 people were there! The weather cooperated and everyone obviously was taking their vitamins and were healthy. Dozens of caps were turned in. We have such fun looking at each other’s work and admiring the choice of colors and stitches. I always learn something.

Let me add a couple of notes: we’re (finally) approaching spring so the caps should get a little lighter in weight. Double stringing the threads creates a thick cap. These make for tricky mailing as they don't like to bend to go into a box.

Also we may want to think of using lighter colors of yarn to reflect spring – peach, yellow, green, pink, lavender. Oh, just the thought of seeing these colors in flowers like tulips makes me tingle!

Finally, we can use more sewers of turbans. This is a big need for this as most of our volunteers crochet or knit. The turbans use lightweight material, such as single knit. I’ve been told they take approximately 15 minutes to cut/sew. Can't beat that! If you have material to donate, that would be a help too.

If you have an interest in contributing to Stitches of Hope either with caps or financially (98% of our donations go toward mailing boxes of caps to hospitals), please contact us at stitchesofhope@gmail.com. We’ll answer questions and direct you to websites with cap patterns.

Happy stitching!

Turban Time

I’ve given most of the attention in this blog to knitted and crocheted caps. That’s because it is winter and these types feel snuggly warm against the cold chill of the season. And most of our volunteers work with these crafts. But at Stitches of Hope we also have a need for sewers to create turbans.

Here’s a photo of some turbans. You’ll notice the model head in lower right sports a macho beard. These wonderful heads were donated to us by a student at a cosmetology school and as they have to learn to cut men’s hair, she had a man’s head. I didn't think he looked too bad in the leopard skin turban. Do you?

I think these are all stylish and fun-looking. I’d wear any of them.

The good news is that turbans take little material and time to create. On of our resident sewers, Karen Story, says one that is cut out takes approximately 15 minutes to sew. That beats the couple of hours it takes me to crochet a cap!

And with only about ¼ yard needed each the turbans can be cost effective. Karen has often found the fabric in remnant bins, which is another cost saver.

And now for the specs about turbans. They must be made with stretchy material. The best is single knit or jersey fabric. Cotton, silk and double knit do not work. The material should also be washed before or after the turbans are made. The cancer wig salon facilitators have also suggested the turbans be made without finishing the seam that goes down the middle. It seems the finishing irritates the bare heads of the wearers.

These turbans are especially popular and requested by cancer facilities year-round. It seems patients like to wear them to bed. Plus they are helpful for a light covering in the hot summers. These turbans are designed for adults, but children may like the style too. The pattern we have at Stitches of Hope could be modified to fit a child’s head.

Please let me know if you would like a pattern for a turban. We will mail one to everyone who requests it. If I find out it is available online, I’ll post that in a future post.

We could really use more sewers for Stitches of Hope. If you have nimble fingers in this area, please know your time and talent could be valuable to cancer and burn patients all across the country.

As usual, I want to say we appreciate all of our Stitches of Hope volunteers! Everyone is an asset in our united fight against the monster of cancer. By working together, we can show cancer patients how much we are fighting and praying for their renewed health by supplying them with attractive, comforting caps.

Take care,

Stitches of Hope Man's cap is patriotic!

This is a man's cap that a volunteer crocheted and donated to our group to send to cancer patients. Notice how the cap is long enough to cover the entire ear. That is especially important in the winter. Thanks for accommodating this need.

We’re snowed in here in the Midwest.

More time for crocheting!

I used to knit as a teen and college-age student. Then a friend convinced me to try crocheting and now I’m hooked! (did you catch the pun? hooked=“crochet hook”)

Oh well, what do you expect after being cooped up all day? My mailman probably isn't too happy with me, making him come to my front door to pick up packages of Stitches of Hope caps to send around the country.

But it is a service offered by the USPS so I don't apologize. For more information on this splendid service go to http://www.usps.com/. Type ‘Click n Ship”.

Through a secure credit card account I’ve set up with the USPS to pay for mailing costs, I no longer have to lug 10 or so boxes each month to the local PO. I put them outside the front door of my door and Voila! The next day the mailman picks them up and hauls them to his van. It couldn't get much easier.

I also order stamps through the mail now and am planning to send an overseas box to my daughter via this method.

Another matter: our Stitches of Hope group is now Facebook. I’m still figuring out how it works, but look me up as a friend. Tell me you heard about me from the Stitches of Hope blog and I’ll invite you into my world. Not too thrilling really, but if you want in, the door’s wide open!

Please tell your friends about this blog and ask friends with websites to link us in. It would be nice to have a broader audience.

Now I have to run! Hubby’s turning in the drive and I promised to learn how to use the snow blower. He doesn't know I’ve been dying to do this for years.

(OK, I’m back after my first lesson. I gotta say, running that snow blower is a blast!)

Take care,

Kayleen Reusser

stitchesofhope@gmail.com

Trinity English Lutheran Church --New Stitches of Hope drop-off location

Great news! A major church in downtown Ft Wayne, IN, has volunteered to be a drop-off site for Stitches of Hope.
Trinity English Lutheran Church
405 West Wayne Street,
Fort Wayne, IN 46802-2186Phone: (260) 426-3424
Email: trinity@trinityenglish.org
http://www.trinityenglish.org/

As you can see from the photo, this church is huge. Founded in 1846, Trinity English Lutheran Church has been at its current location since 1925. After its latest building program, Trinity English now occupies the entire 400 block of Wayne Street and Washington Boulevard. If you need directions on how to get there, use http://www.mapquest.com/.

Having been inside, I can tell you it is a gorgeous building.

Better than the building itself, however, are the people. They have generously agreed to accept completed crocheted, knitted, and stitched caps, turbans; financial donations; or new yarn and other supplies from Stitches of Hope volunteers.

The church office keeps regular workday hours, which makes this helpful for Stitches of Hope volunteers who live in the Ft Wayne area. Now volunteers can drop off items during any weekday.

Several women who attend Trinity English have also expressed interest in creating caps for the group. That is also terrific!

Thanks to ALL of our volunteers. It is so exciting to work with such a caring, talented group who provide boutique-quality items for cancer patients, and other people experiencing health crises. My co-worker Karen Story and I think you are the best.

God bless you for your hard work.

St Joseph Burn Center shares story, photos of Stitches of Hope recipients

Hi!

These are photos of some of the recipients of our caps: Kacy (mother), Hannah (girl), Riley (baby). They received Stitches of Hope caps through St Joseph Burn Center in Ft Wayne IN. Tragically, they were involved in a house fire explosion more than a year ago. The result was deep burns with scattered permanent loss of hair.

This is a truly sad event, but they are receiving great help at this renowned medical facility (http://www.stjoehospital.com/).

Still, my heart aches for them. I can't imagine how devastating this prognosis would be to this small family—2 of them babies!

I could go on, but I think the photos say it all. Several of our volunteers have said how much it helps their frustration when they can make a little difference in the lives of hurting people by making and giving away soft, clean, well-made caps.

If you’d like more information about how to help people like Kacy and her girls by making free crocheted and knitted and stitched caps and turbans as part of Stitches of Hope, please let me know. We’re always looking for volunteers.

Take care,

Kayleen Reusser

stitchesofhope@gmail.com

A Note about Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana

Hello! Greetings from Stitches of Hope!

I’ve asked personnel from the medical facilities that receive our free caps to provide information about themselves and photos of their facilities. That information will be posted here so they can be recognized for their hard work. Here is one:

Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana is committed to helping people with cancer by providing individual support, durable medical equipment, information, transportation, health supplies, financial assistance, complementary care and support groups.

To be eligible for services, a person must have a diagnosis of cancer or brain tumor and reside in one of eleven counties in northeast Indiana: Allen, Adams, DeKalb, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells or Whitley.

What we do makes a difference here in our community for friends & neighbors. We are that knowledgeable and compassionate friend who supports the patient as well as the family.

Visit our website at http://www.cancer-services.org/ or call for information: 260-484-9560

toll free 866-484-9560.

Gail Hamm LCSW
Program Director

**

If you live in one of these counties and need someone to talk to about cancer, I encourage you to give them a call. They are friendly and knowledgeable about the subject and willing to lend a listening ear.

If you are a medical facility that would like to receive free crocheted, knitted caps or sewn turbans (summer weather projects), please let us know. We are happy to accommodate those who need us.

Have a happy day!

Kayleen Reusser

stitchesofhope@gmail.com

Caring Kids Rock!

I love my job of being a librarian at a middle school. After raising my own 3 kids, I confess it was a jolt to get back into that age group. But now that we’re used to each other, I love seeing all of the kids every day. I often chat with them during lunch.

Lately we’ve been using part of our lunch periods to make get well cards for Stitches of Hope recipients with notebook paper and markers. I will stick the notes inside the boxes stuffed with Stitches of Hope caps for the recipients. So when the boxes arrive at medical facilities with free caps, the patients will also receive get well notes from caring, wonderful kids. This group of boys and girls, numbering around 12, are doing their best to create bright, beautiful notes to people they don't even know in hopes it will help them have a better day.

The group has grown from an original number of around 4. I don't force or bribe the kids to do this loving gesture. I always tell them, “You can take a break today if you want.” But they’re always back there, creating messages of hope. Their turnout is incredible. There are probably 50 pictures now in my stack. Since these don't weigh anything or take much room in the boxes, it’s all a bonus!

What can you do today to help someone or encourage another person to help? Sometimes it doesn't take much incentive.

Below are the 2 websites for free hat patterns. One is for knitting and the other crochet. At the top of each page is a link that will take you to a list of all kinds of free patterns from afghans to women's clothing. There are lots of patterns for all kinds of skill levels (beginner, easy, etc.). The majority of Stitches of Hope caps are skull caps (they fit around the head). This crocheted pattern in one color takes me 1.5 hours.

http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/hats.php

http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com/directory/hats.php

Please contact us at StitchesofHope@gmail.com with questions. We hope to hear from you!

Phone Call from Thankful Medical Facility

This week I received a wonderful phone call from one of the medical facilities that receives our Stitches of Hope caps. It was the Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center in Hartford, CT. Their rep said, “I just wanted to thank the volunteers of Stitches of Hope for continuing to send caps for our patients. They are a hit here as I’m sure they are each place they are sent. Please thank all of the talented stitchers. I hope you will continue to send caps to us.”

That is a truly appreciated call. We don't go to the effort of making and sending the crocheted, knitted, sewn caps for accolades, but it is good to know people are finding the caps useful and helpful in raising spirits. We never send anything out but the best and what we would want our own loved ones to wear.

The Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center was recommended to our group from a friend of mine who received treatment there. We’re always on the lookout for new facilities that could use our free Stitches of Hope caps. The caps are handmade and individual in design. We make them for men, women, and children. They are well-made and often prayed over as many of us go to church and think about the caps’ future recipients while we are stitching.

If you are a cancer patient in need of a cap, please let us know the name of your facility and we’ll get in touch with them to see if we can arrange a distribution through them. We may be able to send you a cap in the meantime. Here is our email address: stitchesofhope@gmail.com.

If you’ve received one of our caps, we would love to receive a photo of you wearing the cap. With your permission we’ll paste it here to show others how nice it can be to have a cap to wear.

I’ve just completed another cap for a man as our latest order from California is asking for 25 caps for men. Most of our volunteers prefer to make caps for ladies or children, so I tend to fill in the gap for men. Admittedly, some men don't mind the bald look, but at least they could wear it to bed and keep their head warm. I never thought about how hard it is to keep warm without hair.

We’re all learning a lot through our involvement with Stitches of Hope. We look forward to helping as many people as we can in the future. Stitches of Hope is in God’s hands.

Donations can be dropped off or sent to:
Quilts n Gifts Shop
2035 Commerce Dr
Bluffton IN 46714
www.quiltsngifts.net

Take care,

Stitches of Hope Winter 2010 Newsletter

Stitches of Hope
Volume I Issue 3 Winter 2010

Hello! I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas.

We sent out some heavy numbers of free homemade chemo/medical caps during Nov and December. 500 each month!

That brings our total of number of free chemo caps distributed to medical facilities to 4,000 since July 2008. I’m just amazed and so proud of each one of you. You’re such a blessing by giving and expecting nothing in return for your talent, money and time.

A few weeks ago, a co-worker showed me a video made by St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital (one of our recipient medical care providers) of how some of their littlest patients were celebrating Christmas in the hospital. It was a tearjerker, let me tell you. Some wore caps as they played and some didn’t. At least through our efforts they have a choice about whether to cover their sweet heads or not.

My favorite activity now that the cold weather has definitely set in is to snuggle on the sofa with a favorite movie and with an assortment of yarn around me to make caps for people in need. I hope everyone reading this is keeping warm also and enjoying a pleasant indoor activity. What better way to spend our time than in helping others? Recently I read that, according to a survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the rate at which Americans volunteer regularly has remained at 26% of the population and it has not increased in 40 years.

That sounds discouraging. But while volunteerism usually declines during periods of economic distress, it is currently on the rise in America, particularly among young people!

So consider inviting a person younger than yourself to make caps. We all know cancer and other medical problems transcend age, ethnicity, economics, sex. Everyone can be blessed at giving and receiving beautiful, warm caps during these wintry months.

Just a review for those who might be reading about us for the first time – the members of Stitches of Hope distribute each high quality cap or scarf at no charge to recipients at medical facilities around the US.

We meet the 4th Monday night of each month from 6pm-8:00pm at the 1st United Methodist Church, 325 W. Washington St in Bluffton IN. We do our best to notify members if there is a change, due to weather.

The next Stitches of Hope meetings will be on the following dates: January 25; Feb 22; Mar 22.
Everyone is welcome to bring projects to the meetings to work on and items to donate.

Donations can be dropped off or sent to:
Quilts n Gifts Shop
2035 Commerce Dr
Bluffton IN 46714
http://www.quiltsngifts.net/
Donations are welcome to help cover the cost of mailing the packages.

Stitches of Hope volunteers Kayleen Reusser (260.824.8573) and Karen Story (260.824.8743) are happy to answer questions about the organization.
stitchesofhope@gmail.com or K4storys@gmail.com.

Thanks for all of your help! We couldn't do it without you! Karen, Kayleen

Stitches of Hope Specs for Donations

Good Morning!

It’s a pretty and cold winter morning here. No school delays so that’s something. Today I sent out another 5 boxes of caps to facilities around the country. That puts us at 4,000+ caps! Wow!

In future entries I’ll highlight some of the facilities where we send caps. Some are to places with sick children. Some are to VA Hospitals. Some go to burn patients. Many go to cancer patients.

Today I want to go over some of the specs for the caps we send out for readers who may want to contribute:
Each cap should be made with new yarn.
The yarn for each cap should be pet and smoke-free. We’re providing these to people whose immunities are low and we don't want to contribute items with allergens.
Please make the caps as soft as possible. Certain brands of yarn specialize in this. A craft store should have samples available. I prefer Caron yarn.
Do not use glue to attach buttons, or other adornments, as this dries rough and can irritate skin. Plain is OK as long as the cap is well-made and soft.
We can use caps for men, women and children in various sizes.
Make the cap long enough to cover the ears. This provides a welcome “disguise” to people that the person beneath does not have any hair. It also is a welcome help in cold winter.
It isn't too early to think of sewing turbans and scarves for spring/summer. Last summer we had more requests than we could accommodate. Most of our stitchers crochet and knit. So we’re looking for more sewing volunteers. If you like to sew and need a pattern, let me know and we’ll work it out.

That’s all I can think of for now. Here’s another quote:

One of the things I've learned is that the best way to enhance your own life is to contribute to somebody else's.
— Oprah
http://www.oprah.com/entity/pressroom

By working with us on Stitches of Hope, you’re enhancing dozens of lives, including your own! Thanks for your contribution and God bless!

Stitches of Hope children's caps and a thank you.

It’s a wintry day today in the Midwest. The school where I work has closed early. I’m praying all teachers and students get home safely.

This is the kind of weather that is conducive to working with soft yarn and creating beautiful crocheted, knitted and sewn garments for people in need – Of course, it helps to have a fun movie to watch at the same time. J I think mine will be a British murder mystery (again)

Here are some photos of our Stitches of Hope children’s caps. One has a tag that we attach to each cap so recipients know who we are. The other pic has matching scarves.

I’m pasting a thank-you from one of our medical facilities here:
“Dear Stitches of Hope: We received the adorable hats today from your organization…What perfect timing!! It is negative 12 degrees here in Columbus! (Ohio) The love that you put into your hats is obvious…Thank you so much for thinking of our children…

Sincerely,

June Palm
Family Outreach Coordinator
Kids 'n Kamp
http://www.kidsnkamp.org/

We don't go to the effort of creating free caps just to be recognized, but it is nice to know our caps are helpful.

I’ll put other notes from recipients here from time to time to tell you some of the places we distribute. This is all free of charge to the people who receive the caps. We pay for mailing and all materials and labor. Our goal is just to get them into the hands/onto the heads of people who need them. We rely on donations to help with the shipping costs.

Please let me know if you would like to contribute to the cost of mailing or if you work with a medical facility that could use our caps. We have sent caps to facilities in seven states on a regular basis, but thanks to the support of our terrific volunteers, we have a steady stock and so are looking to expand to help more people.

I thank God for wonderful giving people. They make life worth living. If you're reading this, you are one of these special people.
Take care,

Little Things Mean a Lot

Do quotes ever motivate you to do something?

They do for me.

I’ve always liked this one from anthropologist Margaret Mead, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
http://www.heroesfoundation.org/

I found it again today and thought about it as I packed up more boxes to send out our free caps to people with cancer and other medical problems. Some of our caps are tiny as they are for children and babies. Its terrible to think of children being ill. I have no medical background whatsoever so I can't treat them. I have no money to start a foundation or add a wing to a hospital.

But I do have 10 fingers that allow me to make pretty, warm caps for men, women and children in need.

I have a computer that allows me to contact places that can use our caps.

I have a post office system (USPS) that will pick up Stitches of Hope packages at my home, instead of carrying them to the post office (ClicknShip).

I have friends and family who support this effort.

All of it together adds up to a lot of pluses.

Here’s another article that talks about small gestures that mean a lot. I encourage you to read it. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/06/22/politics/main5104343.shtml

Here's a quote from the story that reminds us little things mean a lot:
"Sometimes, it's the smallest gesture that makes the difference to these vets," Duckworth said.

Whenever you’re thinking that the number of caps you create to share with others doesn't amount to much, just remember these sayings. They’re true.

God bless those of you who help Stitches of Hope and other organizations who provide comfort to people with cancer and other medical needs.

We may never know the difference it makes in someone’s life – and that’s OK.

These knitted caps w/ a twist are lovely and warm outdoor caps. We emphasize high quality work for our recipients -- they deserve the best!

Take care,

Kayleen