Days For Girls Team Update

A lot of news to report! Days for Girls will transition to using Transport Bags in all DfG Kits, replacing the use of Ziploc bags, by March 1, 2020. Around the world, there is an increasing awareness of the negative impact of plastic on the environment. There are two transport patterns available, both serged and sewn PUL. We will be doing demonstrations of both versions and the revised kit packing at a future meeting! 

We are pleased to announce our team is supporting three upcoming mission trips with Days for Girls component and kits!

• Haiti mission trip/September 2019 - we are helping another team, led by Shari D., fill a tall order by contributing components. We donated 470 liners, 80 panties, 300 bars of soap, and 106 drawstring bags!
• Kenya mission trip/December 2019 - Laurie N. will be purchasing the kits from the Manyatta Slums Enterprise in Kenya. We donated two sample kits. She will use our kits to raise awareness and prompt donations. If any team members would like to donate, we will get your gift to her on your behalf.
• India mission trip/March 2020- Mary C. will be partnering with the Ann Arbor, MI team on a mission trip to India. We are donating 50 standard supreme kits. India has a single-use plastic ban; we will be making and including the new transport bags!

Charity Sharity Program

So you think you know what Charity Sharity is? A group of 4 or 5 little old ladies sewing under a dim bulb in a dark basement -- night and day 24/7? That is the impression one of their clients had until she learned what they are really all about -- Green, Philanthropic, and Enabling hundreds to serve thousands all over the world! They are the ONLY organization in the country doing exactly what we are doing, (and it is not sewing) Come hear their amazing story of the last 20 years!

September 11 at 2:30 p.m.

Aberdeen Heights - 575 Couch Ave., Kirkwood, MO 63122

All are welcome! Walk-ins included!

RSVPs appreciated gcgreentree@sbcglobal.net

They are not recruiting, requesting donations or asking for cash - just simple awareness of the wonderful things that are being done in this world!

Several of us Busy Hands are going! If you would like to carpool with us, please email us. 

Would you like to join us for lunch beforehand at Taj Palace in Chesterfield? It is an India cuisine buffet and costs $9.85 cash (a little more if you pay by card.) If you are interested, let Tina know. 

Hello Knitters & Crocheters!

Anyone feel like kitting and crocheting preemie and infant hats again? We are partnering with a special lady who is taking and shipping our creations to Native American reservations in the Pacific Northwest. They are looking for sizes from premature to 0-6 months. Patterns and colours are your choices, but please use soft yarns. They are grateful for any hats you wish to make ...it all adds up to help those in need! She will be going there for Thanksgiving but will ship them up if we have some done soon. We already have 22 ready for her. You may drop your creations off at Tina's house, anytime. Let's make the first deadline Nov. 1. 

I found a new cutie patootie free pattern for NICU Octopi. The pattern is by Serendipity as Always. Please visit this Octopi pattern. She suggests Lily Sugar and Cream yarn and a crochet hook size E. 

NOTE: Marjie tested this pattern and found the tentacles were not curling as much as in the photo. Please modify the tentacle pattern as follows: Ch 35, 2 sc in the third ch from the hook, (3 sc in next ch, 2 sc in next 2 ch) across all chains. 

What are NICU octopi, you may ask? Inside neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) incubators premature babies have an unlikely companion -- colourful, crocheted octopi. These cuddly toys are used as a form of therapy to help comfort and calm premature babies. What's comforting about these octopi are their soft tentacles, which hospital staff say remind babies of the umbilical cord and their mother's womb. They found that babies cuddling an octopus are less likely to pull out their monitors and tubes.

Thanks for all you do!
Colette