Favorite Scripture

FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU, DECLARES THE LORD...PLANS TO PROSPER YOU AND NOT TO HARM YOU...PLANS TO GIVE YOU A HOPE AND A FUTURE.
JEREMIAH 29:11 (NIV)

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

QUILTS FOR HUGS

QUILTS FOR HUGS
Do you know about the Storms of the Century in Alabama on April 27th, 2011???  
Have you seen  pictures of the Devastation??

APRIL 27, 2011  
One of America's worst Natural Disasters in the form of F3, F4, & F5 level Tornadoes
brought forth death, destruction, and suffering to thousands in 7 states! Families were left with absolutely NOTHING!  The saddest picture (I wish I had it to show you) was of a little boy approx. 7-8 yrs. old with a blank stare on his face looking up a camera holding the Easter Basket he had found while his family was sifting through the rubble that used to be their home.  That one picture has haunted me and compelled me to help in a way that I as a quilter can hopefully effect the life of a child somewhere.

  To do this, I NEED YOUR HELP!!!  I am attempting to collect quilts. knitted blankets, fleece tied blankets to give to individual children impacted by the storm.  I've begun receiving donations from all over and for that I'm grateful! 

HOWEVER, I NEED SO MANY MORE TO MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE.
Why do I think a quilt or blanket can mean anything to a child?  Wouldn't they rather have a toy. you ask??

Let me briefly tell you my story....

When I was 9 yrs. old, my family  moved to a farm with a house heated by a coal oil furnace.  My father mistakenly left some old rags next to the furnace and spontaneous combustion sparked a fire.  My father woke up in the wee hours of the morning to smoke coming out of the floor vents!  My parents scooped up my baby sister and I with blankets, sat us in the family Buick, parked it away from the house and told us to go to sleep and not to look back.  Long story short...Our house burned to the ground for lack of a volunteer fire dept and with the exception of a sewing machine, punch bowl, and box of family photos/baby books we lost everything.  There was no active Red Cross or other organizations to help fire victims in a small rural WV town in 1962.  Families and neighbors helped one another.

I went to school that following Monday with donated clothes and little black purse that I thought was so lovely.  However, cruel as kids can sometimes be, during recess that afternoon one of the "rich girls" was laughing at me with her group of  "mean girls".  *SHE* announced to what seemed the WORLD that I was carrying the black purse *SHE* gave my family because "I didn't really like that purse anyway".  I remember being so embarrassed, hurt, ashamed and wanting to run as far away as I could run.  I took that purse and hid it in my desk and never carried it to school again.
I've never forgotten the feeling of not OWNING something of my own.  Of course, I eventually had an entire wardrobe but for those first few months after the fire I wore donated clothes until my parents could get back on their feet.  A few days after that incident, a family friend brought me the most beautiful quilt with my name on it and the feeling of having something that was MY OWN, NOT a donation, was HUGE!!!!  That quilt kept me company during the nights I couldn't sleep for fear of another house fire.

IT IS MY TIME TO PAY IT FORWARD:

Won't you help me give a child a NEW QUILT, Knitted Blanket, Tied Fleece Blanket of their very own??!!
Please leave me a comment that you wish to donate a quilt or blanket and I will send you my mailing address.
You will put a smile on a lot of children's faces.  There are many still in the hospital with severe injuries that would appreciate a new quilt.

For Pictures of the storms Google Tuscaloosa or Harvest Tornadoes, 4-27-11

Thank YOU
Blessings

10 comments:

  1. Hi Jane I have one on the go and hope to finish by the weekend. I wish the price to send them off to the states but I will try to send as many as I can do . I have never lost everything like that but I grew up with a single parent and not much money and suffered a lot of teasing from those rich girls. I hope your foot is okay I know that it isn't your priority knowing you but I am concerned. So send me your address so I can get started. Love and blessings Sandra

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  2. Jane, I had no idea about you losing your home like that as a child. What a traumatic experience. I'm planning on helping -- and I'll help spread the word, too! :)

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  3. I think what you are doing, to help others is wonderful. I am trying to finish off 2 smaller quilts that I plan on sending you way once they are completed!

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  4. What a wonderful gesture, and nobody would understand more than you...on your behalf I will donate locally, as we have had some devastation too last week...WE did have tornadoes which is sew rare for us 100 mile winds tore up through our town and many are left homeless...Sew I will donate a couple quilts to some of these families in your name....

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  5. I have 2 almost ready but not quilted WILL you take to finish?

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  6. Jane,
    I have a baby blanket quilt that would be ready to go you.
    Email me with your address and I'll get it right out.

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  7. WOW! Thanks for sharing your story and experience... may you be blessed by blessings others.

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  8. Jane I have a bright scrap quilt top that is a full size. It's not fancy but it is bright and has some flowers that make it cheerful. It's not quilted yet and I don't have time to do it before I leave but I'd love to send it to you if you can use it. The binding is cut for it so I can send that too. Let me know. blessings, marlene

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  9. what a wonderful story...thank you for sharing such a heart touching time in your life...and using to touch another's life..

    BLessings,
    Kathy

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  10. I just discovered this today. Is it too late to participate? I have a small crocheted baby afghan completed, and could probably whip out a small quilt this week as hubby is recovering from surgery. Please let me know. I'd love to help.

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Blessings to all of you who have taken the time to leave your thoughtful comments. I read each one and hope you will come back often!

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