December

Comfort Scarves – Southwestern Pennsylvania

December 2011 Newsletter

www.comfortscarves.org

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National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233

December Comfort Scarves                                113 scarves and 15 washcloth packages

Holiday Project Donations                                  197 adult items, 200 children/youth items

Total donations since October 2010:                   2642 handmade items

My Apologies if you have not received an email or phone call response from me the past three weeks, you have only yourselves to fault as your generosity resulted in the above donations. Thus I have done little else than wrap, package and deliver items to our shelters – what a wonderful excuse to have for not communicating But as of today all is completed and delivered.

My Believe I had a very simple hope for this project this year - the opportunity to add a new shelter and we have done so! We now serve the Womens Center in Beaver County. In addition, I reconnected with the Women's Center and Shelter of Pittsburgh for Holiday Project donations and ongoing monthly donations. Due to a kitchen fire last spring, they had been unable to accept donations but are now back on our list of shelters. We now serve 9 shelters in 6 counties. We are to be doing this.

Donations/help arrived from: Elisha Barmore, Colleen Bauer, Beulah Church Prayer Shawl Ministry, Mary Ellen Benson, Pauline Borish, Holli Anne Conti, Jocelyn Crosby's Art Class, Juliet Cox, Jane Cushion, Liz Dahne, Epworth Church Tabitha Circle, Andrea Gallagher, Kathy Hamsher, Megan Hamsher, Donna Herron, Nancy Istenes, Cathy Kierkowski, Annette and Alexander Maas, Pat McCaughtry, Joan McLaughlin, Judy McConkle, Jenny McIntosh, Eleanor Miller, Susan Miller, Carol O'Neill, Stephanie Rex, Mary Ann Sedelack, Lynn Shelly and the 5th grade religious class at Temple Sinai, Emily Shipe, Winnie Slattery, Linda Snyder, Joyce Stephenson, Ringa Sunn, Joan Trimble, Linda Trinchero, Barb Tyler.

Update and Thanks: Early November, I had sent a notification about the Snowball Express needing 300 more hats for their annual holiday party for children of our fallen military heroes. Attendance at this event is 1600 people. You responded with your usual generosity thus helping them to achieve their goal. Last Saturday morning, as I watched our local station, there was a segment at the Pittsburgh airport about the children from this area leaving to attend the Snowball Express party in Texas. These children, who have lost a parent in service to our country, were sent off with a full honor guard from a local unit and given a stuffed animal to hug and carry along on the trip. Comfort Scarves was part of their journey.

Face Book – we broke the 100 mark so continue to grow here! If you are on FB, please 'like' our page and share it on your posts. I try to do an update there once a week plus post lots of photos of your donations!

Will need ~100 scarves each month with our new shelters. Collecting for February 1st

Some stories about our donations:

• Received a box of lovely scarves and hats from Annette and Alexander Maas in Germany with a note "Donations for your Holiday Project. What a wonderful job you are doing. Blessings from Germany." No idea how they heard about us but what blessings they gave.

• An email from Jocelyn Crosby requesting information about Comfort Scarves. As things evolved, Jocelyn teaches at an alternative high school in the Philadelphia area. While at a craft fair, she picked up a list of Charity Knitting Programs and saw Comfort Scarves listed. When her students asked that she teach them to knit, Jocelyn replied that they had to choose a charity to donate their items to and they chose Comfort Scarves. Received a box of wonderful scarves from a group of at risk high school seniors – their first projects are as lovely as those of our experienced knitters. Photos on the FB page. No idea how Comfort Scarves ended up on the list but I am extremely grateful it did.

• Phone call from Judy Bryson of the Prayer Shawl Ministry at Beulah Presbyterian Church here in Churchill, PA. They had been knitting for us with the result being 30 scarves for the Holiday Project.

• Countless emails and FB messages from people all over the United States, who have 'found' us, requesting the address to mail donations for the women in our shelters. This resonates with so much with people. Many came from our Ravelry page and are part of Steeler Nation – I never underestimate the power of the Black and Gold Many from our Face Book page and others from one person sharing with another person. My heartfelt thanks to all of you who share.

Looking ahead:

• Barb Grossman, will host the 2012 Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Festival, www.pghknitandcrochet.com February 10, 11, 12 at the Four Points Sheraton North. Attendees will be asked to bring a scarf to donate to Comfort Scarves. I will be there each day to collect the scarves and hopefully finally meet many of you.

• Temple Sinai 5th Grade Religious Class will continue to be my helpers in the wrapping and tagging process. I really enjoy this lively group of young people, led by Lynn Shelly, and find that I miss not being with them this month.

• Plan to add Edyce Rizzi's 5th grade CCD class in Upper St Clair to the wrapping and tagging process in 2012. The enthusiasm of 10/11 year olds is contagious and a wonderful opportunity to provide education and awareness to our youth.

Day Brightener today from Liz Mitch at Women's Center of Beaver County: Barb, We just received all the scarves in the mail today! Thank you very much! How beautiful, thoughtful, and precious they truly are. What a wonderful idea to give the residents for Christmas! I do want to thank you so much for thinking of us! The women would like to say "thank you" for them also. I really do appreciate all the assistance in making this a memorable holiday season for the families in shelter! Blessings to you also and may you have a wonderful holiday season. From the rest of the shelter staff and the woman in shelter/transitional housing THANK YOU, it means more to them than we even know. The thanks go to all of you who donate these items.

May you have a blessed holiday season and a happy new year. 'Talk' to you in 2012 and hopefully see you at the Festival. Many many thanks for your continued support!!

Blessings and hugs

Barb