Share a Square

I told y’all we wouldn’t be making afghans for Camp Sanguinity again next summer. But, that doesn’t mean we aren’t going to give something to those children.

I had another thought, one I think the kids will like, and that you might enjoy, as well. MEDICINE BAGS! Imagine 140 medicine bags (which will easily fit in one cabinet, and won’t need a whole room in my house!). Each of those bags will contain 3 lucky charms (each from a different person). With each charm that is sent, a note to the child will be sent as well.

Amber liked the idea of the notes! She said in a comment: “I really like the idea of the tokens with the notes–the notes would totally be the best part–I can see those getting taken out, unfolded and read, over and over again, until the writing wore off and the paper fell to pieces–but that wouldn’t matter, ’cause by the the notes would be memorized and pulled out of mental medicine bags more often than out of the actual bag itself.”

If you want to join in the project, it’s not getting its own website. Simply go to my first post about it on my main blog, This Eclectic Life, to read the instructions. To follow the updates, you can click on the adorable puppy dog that is in the sidebar to add me to your feed. Or, you can bookmark the page and watch the comment section. Every time I do an update, it will show up there.

Jamie wrote an excellent post about it, likening the search for lucky charms to a scavenger hunt. I hope y’all will start hunting and help me make some bags and fill them! As we get pictures, I’ll show them to you on this Flickr page.

Some folks have asked if I will be putting together a Share A Square project for summer camp next year. Sadly, I’m not going to be able to do that (I have to really work, y’all). But, there are still loose ends to “tie up.”

A box of thank you notes from the children at Camp Sanguinity has arrived. I’ll be scanning them and posting them on Flickr as I can get around to it. If you would like to have one of them, let me know.

Though we have delivered our afghans, there are still an abundant number of squares at my house, and some of my volunteers are helping to put them together. I’ll be taking them to Cooks Children’s Hospital this fall, to give to the children who did not attend Camp Sanguinity.

Now, I’m only sending these afghan kits to folks I know, because three afghans sent to strangers never came home (one to a woman in California, and two to a woman in Texas who claimed that her son had attended Camp Sanguinity). I don’t want to continue trying to track down squares.

But, I’ll share pictures of the extra afghans as they are finished. I’ll also be doing a re-vamping of this site. Most of the pictures will be moved to my Flickr pages (having them on my internet server costs too much!).

There will be a few more updates. If any of you want to share your feelings about the experience of working on Share A Square, I’d love to hear from you.

I want to share a letter from a mother of a child who attended camp.

Dear, Ms. Tucker,
Just wanted to express my thanks to you for the beautiful afghans my kids received at Camp Sanguinity. My son (11) was so excited that one of his squares was from Japan. Within hours of coming home from camp, my daughter (15) was snuggled under hers fro a much needed nap.

My husband began a search for a blank wall to hang my son’s afghan for display. We love them.

My daughter was diagnosed with bone cancer (osteosarcoma) in February of 2006, nine days before her 13th birthday. She’s been through intense chemotherapy (all in-hospital), limb salvage surgery, thoracotomies to remove lung nodules, blood infusions, mouth sores, countless needle pokes and doctor visits, and emergency department visits for infection. All this over the course of a year.

There’s no way she — or the rest of our family– could have gone through this alone. It has been through the support of family and friends–and the FANTASTIC staff at Cook Children’s– plus the kindness and warm thoughts from caring strangers that she is doing so well today.

Thank you for donating your time and talent to comfort those courageous kiddos at Camp Sanguinity. Though they may be at different places on their cancer journey, you’ve played a part in their healing. Those afghans have brought tears to my eyes several times. Your kindness will not be forgotten. Be sure to thank all the “square donors” for me.
Sincerely,
Amy, mom of David and Marianne

Consider yourself “thanked,” my friends. Many times over.

We did our delivery today, and it was awesome! Read more at “Special Delivery.”

A package came from Barbara in Alaska. She had been gathering half of the bags we will give to the children to hold the tags from their afghans.

Look at these!

Look at the care that was taken.

Is some little kid going to love this?

Oh, my word! I have to go cry now.

Thank you!. Thank you all! In my wildest dreams, I never expected these to be so beautiful. I can’t wait for Monday.

Today, I will take this check to the Director of Camp Sanguinity.

Do you see that amount? My Daddy would say, “Y’all done good.”

After I get back, I will know what date we will deliver the afghans. Have you seen that there are 140? Click the Flickr Badge on the sidebar and you can see them all.

I have more still being made, and some more to make, but they are all “extras.” They are for the children who will not be attending the camp.

I’m so proud of all of y’all.

I’ve posted an “anniversary post” at my main blog. I knew that people had big hearts.

It’s not over quite yet. We still have to give the afghans away (and there are “extra” afghans to finish). I’ll keep you posted as I can.

When I first began, I was delighted when a single square came into my mailbox. Then, there was a flood! During November and December, I couldn’t keep up with your generosity. Even now, folks send me squares (and I’m still delighted). But, we don’t need any more. I have more than 3,000 extra squares! Those will eventually get into afghans for the children who are too sick or too young to go to Camp Sanguinity (though the afghans won’t have 48 different names on them). Anybody willing to put together some extra afghans?

View squares that have arrived at my Flickr page by clicking on this badge.

Many thanks go out to Aronia in Flushing, NY; Julie V., in Arizona; and Reiko in Japan.

Take a gander and skip on down for

My friend, Lola, in Spain sent Gariota’s money, some bags for the bag project AND some lovely lava earrings for me (she made them herself!). Check out her other lovely creations at her blog.

We have almost met our goal. Several folks are stitching madly to get the last of the afghans put together, and I can’t thank them enough for their hard work. It isn’t an easy task!

We’ve also raised enough money so far to send two kids to camp. If you feel like giving up a latte, click the button on the sidebar to donate $5, $10, $15 to the fund. I’m hoping that we will be able to pay for all the children, but I don’t know if that will happen.

Bags are still needed, if you are inclined to make one. Contact Barbara or Sherry to let them know.

Squares from Reiko and Kanako in Japan, from Pat W. in Wisconsin and from J. Brock in Georgia can be seen on my Flickr page. Many thanks to these fine ladies.

I posted today at This Eclectic Life about raising money to sponsor the children at Camp Sanguinity. I’ve started a charitable fund, and would love any help you can give!

We have a friend battling leukemia. He was the young man who received our first afghan. He’s in the hospital now preparing for a bone marrow transplant. You might want to visit and send him good wishes.
Taten, buddy, I sure do!
Here is his blog: Young Warrior