Thank you Everyone

Dear Everyone,

Thank you all so much for the countless hours you spent helping us with our service project for the Days for Girls Organization.  I just wanted to make you aware of a few statistics.  We had at least 150 participants across the two days.  I know there were more who came and didn't sign our little sign-up sheet.  There were over 800 volunteer hours provided not including the hours spent washing and ironing fabric, organizing and preparing materials and getting the word out.  We completed 220 kits, but had many more components made that were sent with Julie to take to the next event.  We had material enough to give to the Young Single Adults who will host their own service project in January.  We had almost $700.00 in donations that we did not need that has been sent to Julie to use to buy PUL and other needed supplies.  (Julie needs $400.00 to buy a 100 yd bolt of PUL and that is at their price--it would have cost us 4 times as much).  We had women who sewed items the Friday between our event and then took others home to finish.  I know they single-handedly did a couple of hundred shields in various stages of completion. We had people who brought food without being asked and stayed to help clean-up without being assigned to do so.  

You all are truly amazing and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.  If you didn't get enough of this wonderful service, St. Mary's may be hosting one in the future and may allow us to help them.

Again, thank you, thank you, thank you.  What an honor for me to be influenced by so many truly good women.  Please share this information with those you are aware of who helped us.

Days for Girls a Community Service Project

Well we have some dates for our up and coming service project so it's time to get ready.

A committee will be meeting this week to start advertising and collecting materials.  To help them out I'm posting the flyer here.

Flyer on One Page
Flyer two on One Page

This is a project that can really make a difference for girls around the world so the more people involved here the better.  Please share this information with your friends, your neighbors, your daughters.  There are so many different ways to contribute.  Let's use all of our resources to spread the word, social media, word of mouth, flyers etc.
Here is a copy of the sign up sheet so that you can be reminded of ways you can help out. (or you can just look at the list below)

Sign Up Sheet

Picture of a Days for Girls Kit, click this highlighted text for more information about each part

FOR loads of information about what we are making please visit the Days for Girls Website (click the highlighted words Days for Girls).  Note we are not making the postpartum kits.

And here's the list of supplies and help needed modified just a bit for our particular activity:

Donations:

Fabric:    This is the most needed donation.  Washed and Ironed prior to event. 

                       

***   Botanicals, geometrics and batiks are preferable *** We are finding that with the flannels, bugs and insects seem to be predominant choice for design.   So go ahead and buy them but keep the following in mind:

Some prints are offensive or illegal in some communities. NO camouflage fabrics as these are illegal in many countries.   Prints with people and faces cannot be sent to Muslim communities.  Fabrics with guns, knives, culture-specific themes as well as girly-glam should be avoided.  Bugs, reptiles and animals are acceptable where most of our kits from Utah are being delivered.    (HOWEVER, there are some countries in which certain animals are predators so fabrics including these are uncomfortable for the girls to wear and use.)    For now, we are accepting friendly looking animals, bugs and insect fabric. 

• *100%  cotton flannel -  Good quality, (has to last for three years!)  bright colors in patterns hide stains!                 
• *100%  cotton  - good quality like quilter’s cottons, colorful, Medium to dark stain-hiding prints
• * Sturdy fabric – can be a blend, since it is used for the bags -  just not sheer or flimsy. COLORFUL!!!

·         Underwear  - girl sizes 10, 12, 14, 16 (briefs or boy shorts NOT bikini) NOT women’s size

·         Washrags - (Walmart has packs 18 for $4)  This is still the best price we’ve found so far.

·         Soap  -  (hotel-sized) The other is too heavy for transportation purposes.   Get people in your area who travel to pick some up in their hotels and donate them before your project night.

·         Ziploc brand gallon-sized Freezer bags – Ziploc has proven to be the sturdiest.  Costco’s 4 pack is the best deal around, especially when the coupon is offered.

·         Drawstring (can be cording, ½ “ thick heavy ribbon, or thick shoelaces, not the leather kind)

·         Thread -  Brights,(hot pink is fabulous) and  medium to dark, just not white

Equipment you could bring / loan / share (label everything):

• Sharpie Markers for tracing  (10 – 12)
• Rotary cutting mats and rotary cutters      (3 – 5)
• Sharp Scissors   EVERYONE should just plan to bring a pair.  Bring as many good ones as you can gather (have the women label their own) so they go home with them
• Sewing machines (10 or more)
• Sergers (3 or more)
• Ironing boards and irons (6 of each)
• Extension cords and power strips for the sewing machines, irons and sergers
• Small boxes or containers for removed pins  - on each sewing table
• Large Cardboard boxes for completed kits, parts in various stages of construction at the end of the event
• Pins
• Safety Pins
• Paper Clips – Jumbo size
• Seam Rippers (2 – 4)
• Seam Gauge – (1 or 2) for measuring casings for bags 

Just want to do something? . . .

You can volunteer to cut out materiel, collect hotel soaps, sew at the actual event or even wash and iron fabric before hand.  IF YOU WANT TO HELP THERE IS A WAY FOR YOU TO HELP JUST ASK!

        You can leave a comment here or talk to one of the committee members, they should be distributing flyers with their info on it soon. 

I you still want more information, I added several links to Days for Girls information on my last post.

Empowering Women Everywhere

I'm so excited about our next service project, as a mother of four girls and a firm believer that we need to support each other - especially as women -  in a world that does not always treat women as our Heavenly Father would like us to be treated.

When:  Thursday July 16th, 4-8pm and Saturday July 18th 10am to ? -

Come when you can or sign up for a specific time

more info to come.

Where:  Kanesville Stake Center on 4000 South

What:

We will be working with an organization called Days for Girls 

We will be making hygiene kits for girls and women all over the world., you can watch the links at the end or I'll give you a clue, these kits are very helpful PERIOD. . .

Sewing not your thing?

No problem, there are LOTS of opportunities to donate, time or anything from the list below.

Days for Girls Event Donations

FABRIC:    This is the most needed donation.  Washed and Pressed prior to event.  

***   Botanicals, geometrics and batiks are preferable ***  We are finding that with the flannels, bugs and insects seem to be predominant choice for design.   So go ahead and buy them but keep the following in 

Some prints are offensive or illegal in some communities. NO camouflage fabrics as these are illegal in many countries.   Prints with people and faces cannot be sent to Muslim communities. Fabrics with guns, knives, culture-specific themes as well as girly-glam should be avoided. Bugs, reptiles and animals are acceptable where most of our kits from Utah are being delivered. (HOWEVER, there are some countries in which certain animals are predators so fabrics including these are uncomfortable for the girls to wear and use.)    

For now, we are accepting friendly looking animals, bugs and insect fabric.  

*100%  cotton flannel -  Good quality, (has to last for three years!)  bright colors in patterns hide stains!                    

*100%  cotton  - good quality like quilter’s cottons, colorful, Medium to dark stain-hiding prints 

* Sturdy fabric – can be a blend, since it is used for the bags -  just not sheer or flimsy. 

PUL - Polyurithane Laminate.   This is waterproof  fabric that can be found at JoAnn’s and Hobby Lobby runs $14.99 to $16.99 per YARD.  (Yikes!)   IF someone has some they would like to donate, we would love it.  We buy it in bulk.   Our cost is $4.00/yard and we buy it on a roll bolt with 100 yards on it.   ($400 to purchase the roll.)   We ask that the group pays for the yardage they use at their event.

***Of  Special Mention -   Don’t just contribute ugly stuff you’ve wanted to get rid of, please, or ugly stuff from Grandma’s closet.   For some of these girls, this is the ONLY personal possession she may have.   Make it fun!   Doesn’t have to be a recent purchase but it should be cheerful!

 Underwear  - girl sizes 10, 12, 14, 16 (briefs or boy shorts NOT bikini) NOT women’s size 

 Washrags - (Walmart has packs 18 for $4)  This is still the best price we’ve found so far.

 Soap  -  (hotel-sized) The other is too heavy for transportation purposes.   Get people in your area who travel to pick some up in their hotels and donate them before your project night.

 Ziploc brand gallon-sized Freezer bags – Ziploc has proven to be the sturdiest.  Costco’s 4 pack is the best deal around, especially when the coupon is offered.

 Snaps - We use Kam Snaps Size 20 for hygiene, comfort and longevity.  If anyone wants to order some online from KamSnaps prior to the event, they may.   This is an item that monetary donations help us order and then 

 Drawstring (can be cording, ½ “ thick heavy ribbon, or thick shoelaces, not the leather kind)

 Thread -  Brights,(hot pink is fabulous) and  medium to dark, just not white

 Dye – RIT LIQUID dye – in the bottle!   Purple or Wine colored for dyeing fabric that is too light.  Fuchsia, Sunshine Orange, Aquamarine   (for dyeing white underwear and white washrags.)   

 Salt – Used for dying process

 $ Donations   to help purchase any of these items.   Whether your service group is allowed to ask for monetary donations or not, individuals who inquire and so desire, can contribute to our  local Days for Girls 

Some of these things we may have in abundance from other groups’ contributions and service project leftovers.  Ask us about this as 

Equipment for the Activity

Have the women label their own everything - mats, rotary cutters, scissors, etc. so they go home with their own

 Sharpie Markers for tracing  (10 – 12)

 Rotary cutting mats and rotary cutters      (3 – 5)

 Sharp Scissors   EVERYONE should just plan to bring a pair.  Bring as many good ones as you can gather 

(have the women label their own) so they go home with them

 Sewing machines (10 or more)

 Sergers (3 or more)

 Ironing boards and irons (6 of each)

 Extension cords and power strips for the sewing machines, irons and sergers

 Small boxes or containers for removed pins  - on each sewing table

 Large Cardboard boxes for completed kits, parts in various stages of construction at the end of the event

 Paper Clips – Jumbo size

 Seam Rippers (2 – 4)

 Seam Gauge – (1 or 2) for measuring casings for bags

 Thread -  Medium, Dark or COLORFUL thread such as bright pink. Pink seems to enhance virtually all color combinations.  Just NOT white.

I have the following so I will bring them with me :   (If you are doing this on your own at home, gather these: )

 Rulers (some 24" long for cutting strips and some at least 12" long for sub-cutting strips)

 Measuring tape or yard stick to measure drawstrings

 chopsticks

Links:

Facebook page showing girls receiving the kits

Blog of another group sewing the kits

How to make a days for girls shield

Days for girls on Pinterest * note they no longer accept crocheted washcloths

IF you only watch one - here is a good one

Celeste Mergens founder of Days for Girls talks about this program