I was watching The Today Show yesterday morning where they were launching their “Shine a Light” program, a year-long initiative focused on service and giving back to communities in need. Each co-anchor is choosing a worthy cause to support throughout the year, and this week they’ve been unveiling those causes. Al Roker is joining a U.S.O. tour to entertain our troops overseas, Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie are building playgrounds, and Natalie Morales is running the Boston Marathon to raise money for last year’s bombing victims.
Well! Fiber artists and quilters are not to be left out of the running, so to speak. Virginia Spiegel, fundraiser extraordinaire, is yet again launching a campaign, this time a virtual race to to the finish line, a 5K-race to raise $5000 January 15th for Fiber Art For a Cause to benefit the American Cancer Society.
As this is a virtual race, you can give your knees and achy joints a break! All you need to do is mark your calendars for the 15th to be in the running for some pretty fabulous fiber and quilting prizes and donate money to the American Cancer Society.
And if you leave a comment below (by this Sunday, January 12th at midnight EST) letting me know what other good deed(s) you are doing this year to help someone, volunteer, raise money, etc., I’ll match each comment (one per person) with a $1 donation for the American Cancer Society. So mark your calendars for January 15th, and let the comments and good deeds commence!
I’ll be working with my quilt guild, TLC Quilters, on quilts for Blocks for the Brave, and for our local woman’s shelter and foster care agency. (Last year we donated over 150 quilts!)
I am raising $5000.00 (3750 raised so far) for the 39 mile Avon Walk for Breast Cancer – Houston in April 2014.
Love the idea of this virtual run! I can add it in without adding to my training
I am donating a piece of my art to the Fiber 5K to fight Cancer.
I’ve donated a quilt valued at $500 to the local Rotary Club for their fundraising auction
I am donating to the Fiber 5K and to the local PET program.
I don’t know if this is as big as all of the people here and what they have donated. But I work downtown in Houston and a homeless man asked me to buy him something to eat because he was hungry. I did, I took him to a place in the tunnel, under my building and bought him dinner.
I also give to Houston’s SPCA, 20 dollars a month. The place I work at matches my donation for jeans on Friday.
I’ve donated a piece of fabric to the Fiber 5K, but most of my year will be spent in helping my dear friend who will be having a mastectomy this month.
I am donating one of my quilts to raise funds for our branch library – to benefit library programs and ultimately to raise consciousness for a new library.
I knit hats and make baby quilts for the unwed mother program. This year I’m adding a teen pregnancy program too.
I volunteer at a drug and alcohol treatment center teaching quilting once a week. The clients we work with are moms or pregnant. Karen
I retired last year, so have time to help with quilting and sewing projects for needy causes.
For fifteen years we raised guide dog puppies for a local organization. When one of our pups could not guide for medical reasons, I registered him as a therapy dog. We visit a local children’s hospital as well as other places which need his love.
I will make and donate a quilt to charity. Having moved recently I will need to decide where it goes in the next months.
I will continue to donate quilts to local charity events- ranging from personal fundraisers to group fundraisers who are collecting for major charities. Also, I am running in at least 4 organized races where part of the entrance fees go to a selected charity. Thanks!
I made a bunch of fabric fortune cookies and have them at the cash register in my husband’s coffee bar. For a minimum $2 donation, customers can take one home. Last year, we collected money to help add to the sculpture garden and this year, donations go to the no-kill animal shelter. Every little bit helps and everyone loves the fortune cookies. Thanks Pokey for sharing that pattern so long ago!
I clip coupons and send them to Ft. Hood for military families to use. In the past I’ve donated quilts to Wounded Warriors and Susan Koman for the Cure.
My husband and I cook meals our elderly neighbors that can’t get around as well as they used to.
I am part of a group at church that makes quilts for children that go into the foster care system, we do lap quilts for the elderly and give away hundreds of hats that have been crocheted and knitted for the families that receive Christmas gifts every year.
I also lead a group of youth and adults that repair homes for the poor and elderly. In 2013 we worked on 22 houses. We painted the exteriors of two houses, hung drywall, cleaned out garages, sawed down trees and brush from peoples property, installed hand rails for steps, worked on electrical projects, etc.
I’m a female, 62 years old, have had a heart attack and a total knee replacement as well as work full time. If I can do it then so can others. Remember that a couple of hours can make a difference in other peoples lives. I’m not bragging – just saying that we all have something to offer.
Thanks Pokey!!
I have donated two hand dyed scarves to the Fiber 5K and will also be donating. Will also be donating to a friends 3 Day Walk later this year.
I will continue to complete the quilting on various comfort quilts pieced by a local quilting group and I am working on a comfort quilt for a friend currently undergoing treatment for two types of breast cancer. This year will be about my 15th year as Team Captain for the residential Canadian Cancer Campaign and our small team of rural canvassers raises well over 5000.00 every year for the local chapter of this group.
I’ve been donating at least five quilts a year to the local children’s cancer center and I plan on doing it again this year.
I’m finishing up a couple baby quilts for Urban Outreach’s baby college. It is a parenting class for underprivileged mothers and mothers to be. The children of each graduate receive a quilt.
Thanks, Pokey, and all the “commenters.” So much good in the world!
Pokey—The SISU Childrens Fund is a 501c-3 non-profit which helps provide medical and therapy services for children in my area. I do a quilt for them to auction at their fundraisers. Shall also continue to make lap quilts for the local infusion center patients. Thanks to all the quilters who give so generously so that others may be comforted. (Including you, Pokey, and all you do for animals!)
Why would he state that we will usually have poor people.
” But Jesus knew something had happened. It will let you in determining your meaning of a scripture.
I love this option. It forces you to automatically save for a purchase, little by little, instead of putting it on a credit card and dealing with the bills (and interest, etc) later. Thanks for sharing the info!