Handmade Especially For You

We had two wrapping parties in November to accommodate all the scarves we had to prepare for delivery.  We did so much wrapping, we didn't even take time to eat lunch.  It was incredible.  As fast as everyone wrapped, I packed boxes for shipping and delivery.  In the end, we shipped or delivered 2,850 comfort scarves.  It was a heady experience.  Just ask Evelyn Dow, Myra Kumagae, Kathy Allen, Barbara Klein, Marie Cortez, Carol Maldonado, and Sharon McCann, who tied all the ribbons.  The array of brightly colored scarves tied with cute, curly ribbons was the biggest pile of holiday gifts I have ever seen.  It really warmed our hearts.  We should have photographed the pile, of course, but we were so focused on the count and packing the boxes that we forgot.  Thanks especially to these dedicated volunteers.

As you might expect, the shelters are sending appreciative notes.  Tobi Quintiliani, Senior Director of Community Response and Relations at 1736, sent us a very moving note: 

Patima Komolamit, our contact at Center for the Pacific Asian Family, wrote "We received your beautiful scarves!  Thank you so much for your continued generosity and thoughtfulness for our women and children survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault";

In like manner, Shannon Fors, Interim Executive Director of the Domestic Violence Center of the Santa Clarita Valley, wrote:  "Thank you very much for the wonderful fifty scarves that you donated to the women in our shelter. . . .There is nothing more appreciated than a gift made by hand. . . . Your kindness and consideration is deeply appreciated. We realize that there are many charities that you may choose to support. Thank you for choosing ours";

Annah Mason, Donations Associate at the Downtown Women's Center, told us:  "I just wanted to reach out and thank you for the scarves you'vee been sending to our Center. . . . I can tell you that the ladies enjoy (the scarves) both for practical reasons and for the fact that they're handmade and heartfelt."   This Center is opening a new facility in December and will distribute our scarves as part of their inaugural celebration.

Kitty Glass, Community Outreach Coordinator of Family Violence Project (part of  Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles), sent a very enthusiastic appreciation:  "Thank you so very much for the gorgeous scarves we just received.  They truly are beautiful and will be wonderful holiday gifts for our counseling center clients and shelter residents. . . . You continue to provide our special folks with such joy. . . they are always amazed by the kindness of strangers.";

The above are just a sample of the notes I receive from the shelters.  I will share more in the December Newsletter.

The number and success of our affiliates is growing.  There are so many, all doing such good work, that Lori Jeskey, our webmaster, has even made a page on our website listing many of them.  It's hard to keep the list up to date, but we're doing our best.  I know many prospective scarfers use the info because the local leaders tell me their groups are expanding.

Here's what's going on with Handmade affiliates throughout the country:

Kathleen Amiott, in Cincinnati OH, has been participating with Connie Williams of Stamp Your Art Out.  She thought her project would be a one-time effort, but the response has been so enthusiastic, that she plans to continue throughout the year.  She collected 242 scarves and distributed them to 3 local YWCA women's shelters and transitional living centers.  These efforts made the Cincinnati Examiner.  You can see Connie with the scarves below (left). 

Tammy Peters, in Culpeper VA, reported that she made another delivery to SAFE.  The director told her:  “The women were surprised that anyone would make something so special and beautiful just for them.  The ladies put on the scarves as soon as they received them!  A handmade gift made them feel special.”  Above (right), you can see Tammy at SAFE with some of her scarves.

Helen Susko, in Doylestown PA and her group, Stitching Angels (from Redeemer Lutheran Church), donated 39 scarves to A Woman’s Place.  And they’re just getting started.

Renee Hoffman, the leader of our affiliated group in Long Beach CA, donated 50 scarves to Interval House.  Renee donates every month.  The staff and clients at Interval House are thrilled.

Alyson Cline, in Surprise (near Phoenix) AZ, brought 25 scarves to A Place for Eve.  There are 15-20 enthusiastic scarfers in Alyson’s group.  They plan on making lots of scarves so they are looking for more shelters. 

Barb Kochuba is an avid Handmade supporter.  She formed Comfort Scarves in Pittsburgh PA area and keeps a tapestry posted on her dining room wall filled with photos of all the scarves she has collected—200 so far. 

Julie Bailey’s group in Portland OR donated 25 scarves, 25 hat and scarf sets, and 25 sets for kids to the Family Shelter.  She hinted at an apology for not being able to come up with 25 afghans, but I told her I understand why she couldn’t make 25 afghans.  That’s the reason we stick to scarves.

Ann Miller in Pueblo CO is working with the YWCA there.  She learned that CO has 3 times the number of domestic violence cases as the national norm.  She will be busy supplying her local shelters with scarves.

Ellen Coppell , in Central VA, donated 25 more comfort scarves to the Rappahannock Council on Domestic Violence.  She told me they are very pleased with her continuing donations of comfort scarves.

D’Ann Gayler, leader of our affiliate in the Salt Lake City UT area, delivered 17 scarves to a shelter in West Jordan.  Her group plans to meet once a month.  Each member has taken on a task.  D’Ann says “We’re getting organized.  It’s a long slow process.  But we are doing better each month.”

Finally (for this month), Vicki Ringer, organizer of our San Fernando Valley CA affiliate, reported that she delivered 60 scarves to Haven Hills.  Vicki keeps a 3-month supply of scarves on hand at all times.  Refugio Sanchez, her contact there, loves receiving the scarves.

Several of you have asked about Bonnie Jacob’s Girl Scout troop.  Bonnie reports that they all have finished their scarves, including the two special needs Scouts.  A few of the girls have really gotten into knitting and are even making other items besides scarves.  A box with their scarves will be on its way soon.

We received more scarves from Annette and Alexander Maas, our knitting couple from Germany.  Beverly Thomson, from High Wycombe, Bucks, England sent a few too.  News of our scarf project is really spreading. 

Izzy November, leader of the Orange County Knitting Meetup Group, has taken on Handmade as one of the group’s projects.  He picked up 30 kits at the beginning of the month; he’ll be dropping off scarves at the end of this week.

That we receive support from so many places, near and far, really warms my heart.  And I haven’t even come to the point in the Newsletter where I thank our donors!

Susan Druding, owner of Crystal Palace Yarns, donated 2 more cases of her beautiful yarn, from which we make many, many of our comfort scarves.  Susan expressed surprise when she heard that we had made and delivered almost 10,000 scarves this year.  “Susan,” I replied.  “Look how much yarn you’ve donated!  That is how we used it.”  Thank you, Susan.

We’ve been shipping boxes of scarves all over So Calif.  And not just a few boxes.  150 scarves to Valley Oasis; 100 scarves to Sojourn; 100 to CPAF; 100 to the Good Shepherd, to name a few.  It is hard enough to wrap all the scarves and pack them into boxes.  But if I had to take them to UPS for shipping, it would be really difficult.  Luckily for Handmade, Barbara Klein has offered the UPS services of her business to us.  She takes the boxes and ships them from her business.  She has been doing this every month; but this month deserves special notice since we are sending 3-4 cases to each shelter.  Thank you so much, Barbara.

Also due special mention is June Grossberg, owner of Concepts in Yarn.  June has supported Handmade right from its start.  She has given us a place to meet, a place to store kits so people can pick them up, and a place where scarfers can drop off their finished scarves.  Our group has grown a lot since October, 2008.  Now we fill up one huge table with a card table and eight extra chairs.  We appreciate what June has done and continues to do for Handmade.  Thank you so much, June.

As I was writing this Newsletter, I had plenty of time to reflect, long as it is.  I am impressed that there are so many shelters geared to special groups:  CPAF to Asian women; Su Casa and Chicana Service Action Center for Latinas; the Good Shepherd for Catholic women; Jenessee Center for Black women; Jewish Family Service sponsors a shelter; YWCA sponsors many shelters.  All racial, religious, and ethnic groups are affected by domestic violence; all racial, religious, and ethnic groups work hard to prevent it.  We all feel it’s terrible to have so much domestic violence, but there’s something really great about a community wide effort to combat it.  I’m proud that Handmade Especially for You, a group which also represents racial, religious, and ethnic diversity, plays its part in combating this social disease.