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As you probably have heard by now, on April 11, 2010, I experienced an aortic dissection (a big rip) that required immediate surgery. It all came as a big surprise to me and to my husband. I do not have any of the prerequisites for such a problem. I am not obese, I never smoked, and I do not have diabetes or high blood pressure. However, my mother had a similar event, although she did not require surgery, so I have a genetic tendency. All your cards, letters, emails, prayers and other forms of sending good wishes my way really made me feel better. I am certain they have speeded up my recovery. You are a very powerful group. Many thanks for your support.
I still can't believe this actually happened to me. Of course, I remember quickly if I move too fast, try to pick up something, open a door, reach above my head, etc. I have tried to make lemonade from this situation. Many friends are coming over for lunch, a different friend each day, and I am knitting all the "problem" comfort scarves. I can't make any kits, but so many of you have stepped forward offering to help that I feel we will get the kits out to those who want them soon. Please be patient.
Happily we had a huge number of scarves on hand, wrapped and ready to go, when this disaster occurred. Sharon Mirabel packed all the boxes and brought them to Barbara Klein so we were able to deliver 865 comfort scarves in time for Mother's Day. The Long Beach and Valley chapters delivered theirs, which brought our total to just over 900. Great job everyone. We are a fabulous team!
Last month I received an critical letter from a woman in Pensacola FL who found Handmade online. She chastised me for distributing comfort scarves in CA, where the weather is warm, and not sending them to cold climates where women actually are abused by the cold itself. She mentioned the Rosebud Reservation in SD specifically. I explained to her that we intend our scarves for "inner", not "outer" warmth and that we cannot supply all the shelters in S. CA, much less all the shelters throughout the country. But I was stung by her comments. Just by coincidence, the next day I received a call from Betty Callender, an avid scarf maker in Brooklyn NY. She told me she had a large group of heavier weight scarves already made and asked if she should send them. "Absolutely," I answered, adding "I will send them to Rosebud Reservation in SD". Betty was thrilled and so was I. I don't know yet if Rosebud will be a place to which we send scarves regularly but we did send 100 in time for Mother's Day. I hope you can see from this that your input is important. We take your suggestions seriously, and try to act on them.
Until my big event in the middle of April, yarn donations came in regularly. Many thanks to Cheryl Oberle Designs and Susan Druding at Crystal Palace Yarns, Amy Small at Knit Collage (all the way from Hong Kong!), and Jack Blumenthal at Lion Brand. Your contributions are essential to the success of our project. We cannot make scarves without your yarn. Thank you so much. Now that I am well on the road to recovery, I hope donations will resume.
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Marg Grieve, organizer of Giving Hands, our Nelson BC branch, has delivered scarves and other knitted items to Cicada Place for Teens in Crisis, District Women's Center, Stepping Stones (for homeless & transients), Aimee Beaulieu Transition House for Abused Women, Community Health Nurses (they see a lot of poverty when they conduct the home visits); and she has her own "group" on Ravelry. Marg has been very busy! Susan Van Winkle, head of our San Diego chapter, received this feedback from Ronnie, director of St. Clare's Home, after she delivered 26 comfort scarves there:
They are amazing! thank you so much we are having a mothers day event and i will pass them out then. Thank you so much! Ronnie
As you can see from these few instances, the shelters are thrilled with our comfort scarves. Kitty Glass, Community Outreach Coordinator at Family Violence Project, Jewish Family Services, just received her Mother's Day scarves. She wrote:
Dear Leslye & Friends,
We just received the new shipment of your beautiful scarves and they truly are special, just in time for Mother's Day!! How wonderful. The women in the shelters will each be given a new scarf and I know that you'll be hearing from them. . . . Your commitment to our program has been so outstanding and you put smiles on all the faces of our special residents every single month. We thank you so much for that. Take good care and I wish you all a wonderful Mother's Day. Fondly, Kitty
Annette Kosker, Volunteer Coordinator at the Glendale YWCA DV Project, called and left a similar message. Ben Schirmer, Executive Director of Rainbow Services, emails an enthusiastic thank you every month, as does Shelly Ross at 1736. We appreciate their appreciation. It keeps us going too. The making and giving of comfort scarves is meaningful on both ends of the process. The women who receive the scarves feel valued as a result of receiving the unexpected gift; the makers of the scarves feel valuable for having made them. A good deal all around!
Finally, given that I am out of commission at least until mid-July, I must thank all of you who have carried on Handmade Especially for You despite my absence. Sharon Mirabel for packing the boxes of Mother's Day scarves. Barbara Klein for shipping them. Hilary Cohen for coming over to pick up yarn to make kits for those in the Wednesday Night Knitting Club. Donna Bybee for winding skeins of yarn into balls so Hilary can make kits. If any of you want to come by and pick up yarn for your group, I am glad for you to do so. I want Handmade to keep up its momentum! We need each and every one of you to keep scarfing. Envelopes, bags, and boxes of finished scarves continue to show up on my doorstep and we need them all. May deliveries are only a few weeks away.
Now that we are a 501(c)3 non-profit entity, we have received a number of cash donations. These are very important to us. Thanks to Dave Sakamoto, Bernice Michlin, Robert Michlin and Melinda Wood, and several anonymous donors. We are close to opening our PayPal account so would-be donors can make their contributions online. Now that I am a little stronger, I should be able to complete our application soon. Maybe by the next Newsletter . . . .
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