Date Change for Blankets

Something came up that I need to help with at my son's school so I need to reschedule our Service Day.


Please make a note of the new day & time:


MONDAY, FEB. 27 @ 11:30 A.M.


Thanks!

Blankets for Hospitalized Children

February's Project: 

 Blankets for Hospitalized Children 

This month we will be collecting/making NEW blankets for the sick children at the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center. 

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

~ Make a NEW blanket at home (quilt, knit, crocheted, fleece, etc..)

~ Donate Fleece (1 to 2 yard pieces)

~ Join us on the Service Day to make fleece blankets

 Service Day: 


DATE CHANGE: 
MONDAY, FEB. 27 @ 11:30 A.M.
Friday, February 24th @ 11 am 


At My Home

Bring your own fleece & fabric scissors or use what we have there! :)

TO DONATE:

You can:

~ drop your donations off to my house  any day before the 24th

~ bring your donations to the Service Day

Thank you for bringing warmth to a sick child!

Warming the Heart!

This month we've been collecting winter clothing items for the needy. My office has felt like Santa's workshop! I've had piles and piles of coats, hats and gloves! While it was messy and crowded in here, it warmed my heart. The generosity of the good people of this neighborhood is truly inspiring!

Tonight was my deadline for donations so I can drop the items off tomorrow. With the help of Tanner and Russ, I sorted and counted everything. 

Here is what we collected:

36  pair of gloves/mittens

11 scarves

68 coats/jackets

120 hats

1 pair of boots

1 pair of ski pants

3 pair of socks

That makes a grand total of 236 items! Wow! In addition, 2 huge boxes of women's clothing was also donated! 

My heart is so full of gratitude and love. The spirit of giving, the spirit of Christmas is truly alive and well here in our little neighborhood! Thank you all so much! 

Merry Christmas!

Winter Clothes for Homeless

Winter Wear Drive for Homeless 

Now that the cold weather is upon us, it is a great time to think of our homeless brothers and sisters and reach out to them.  Let's try to make their burden a little lighter (& warmer). If you have any hats, gloves or even some old coats laying around that you or your kids have outgrown and are no longer using, PLEASE consider giving them away this month to the homeless. 

Whatever you can give will make a difference!

What We Need

Items can be new or gently used (still in good condition) and for all ages

~ Coats

~ Hats

~ Gloves or Mittens

~ Scarves

~ Ear Muffs

~ Socks

Also, mark your calendar for Friday, Nov. 18th at 11:00 am. We will be getting together at my home to make loom hats for the homeless.

If you've ever wanted to learn how to make these adorable hats, now is the perfect time! We will have all the needed supplies ~ just bring yourself. If you have your own project (hats, scarves, etc...) that you are working on, feel free to bring it, too. It will be a fun hour of service and friendship. Hope to see you there! 

To Donate

You can:

~ drop your donations off to my house  any day in November

~ bring your donations to the Service Day

Thank you for helping to warm those in need!

Thank You!

What an amazing turnout this month for our Hearts and Hands service project! We had about 14 people here helping put the snacks sacks together and a lot of wonderful people who donated items for the sacks. It is the biggest turn out I've ever had. :)

With all of the generous donations, we were able to put together 180 Snack Sacks for hungry children in our valley!!! That was more than triple my original goal!

Wow! You are so amazing and caring! Thank you so much!

October's Project - Treat Bags for Homeless Children

Did you know that there are over 12,000 homeless children in Utah. Unfortunately, that number increases each year. Please join us as we reach out with love and food this month! 

On Tuesday, October 25 

at 11:00 am at my home

Putting Together Treat Bags for Homeless Children

What We Need

~ Granola Bars

~ Fruit Snacks

~ Juice Boxes

~ Candy (small, individually wrapped)

To Donate

You can:

~ drop your donations off to my house any day before the 25th

~ bring your donations to the Service Day

~ Call me and I will happily pick up your donations

Let's try to make as many treat bags as we can & feed as many children as we can! Your donations matter (no matter how small or big)!

Thank you for feeding a hungry child & making a difference! 

Thanks for the Letters!

Thank you so much for all of your help with writing letters to soldiers last month! I was able to mail 82 letters and children's drawings!

Just imagine - that means 82 spirits will be lifted, faces will smile and hearts will know they are loved!

It was wonderful to have several groups involved in our letter writing project:
~ a group of young men for church
~ Women and children from the neighborhood
~ High School students in the Service Club

Thank you again ~ Remember, you made a difference in someone's life!

No Higher Religion

 "There is no higher religion than human service. To work for the common good is the highest creed." - Woodrow Wilson

Commemorating 9/11 ~ Honoring Heroes

Yea! Its' that wonderful time of year when we kick-off a new season of service! I love it when September rolls around and we get to roll up our sleeves and find ways to help our brothers and sisters in need.

As you know, this September 11th marks the ten year anniversary of the horrible terrorist attacks on our country. I love that 9/11 is now called Patriot Day. It is a day to remember and honor. As we commemorate this 10th anniversary, we want to honor the heroes who are on the front lines defending our freedoms and our way of life that we enjoy every day.

On Friday, September 23 at 11:00 am at my home, we will be writing letters to active-duty soldiers.

This is something that truly means a lot to them - more than the packages and goodies, they treasure a hand written note or a child's drawing expressing love, concern and gratitude. It is a gentle and loving reminder that they are remembered ... that they are not alone.

I hope we have a great turn out and get a lot of letters written to our amazing and courageous brothers and sisters serving in the military!

Please join us! It will be a fun and meaningful way to honor 9/11 and The American Spirit.

If you are unable ot join us on the 23rd, please feel free to write as many letters as you want at home! This would make a wonderful family activity. If you have letters* and just want to drop them off to me that's fine. Please get them to me by that day.

*All letters need to be in UNSEALED envelopes! Thanks!

Community Service Day

Looking for something cool to do on Monday, MLK Day? Get involved in the local community service day.
Click the following link for all the details!

Community Outreach Day 2011

Christmas Stockings

Christmas Stockings for Abused Women and Children

Please join us in sharing the true gift of Christmas - Love - with those precious children and women who have dealt with the brutality and heart-break of abuse. Let's make their Christmas a little brighter by letting them know that someone loves them! 

We'll be collecting items to assemle 30 Christmas Stockings (10 children, 10 Teens, 10 Women)

There will be a donation box in the Relief Society room every Sunday until December 19th. 

Items Needed for the 30 Stockings: (all items need to be NEW - thank you!)

Children's:

10 Boxes of Crayons

10 Coloring Books

10 Fruit Snacks

10 Granola Bars

10 Small Stuffed Animals

10 Candy Canes

Teen's:

10 Regular-sized Hershey Bars (plain)

10 Pair of gloves

10 Chapstick 

10 Small Journals/Pens

10 Candy Canes

10 Beanies (already collected these!)

Women's:

10 Full-sized Hershey Bars (plain)

10 Lip Gloss

10 Nail Polish

10 Hair brush/comb

10 Small Journals/Pens

10 Beanies (already collected these!)

*If you'd like to donate stockings that'd be GREAT!!! (they can be homemade or purchased)

We'll put the stockings together on Monday, December 20th at 11:00 at my home. 

Family Volunteer Day 2010!

In lieu of of doing our own service project this month, we are supporting United Way of Utah County's Annual Family Volunteer Day! This is an fun and meaningful way to kick-off the holiday season with your family! 

Family Volunteer Day

Saturday, November 20

at 10:00 a.m.

There are 3 Locations your family can go to volunteer:

1. Genola - MIGRANT HEAD START - help beautify their school! 

2. Eagle Mountain - FRIENDS IN NEED (animal sanctuary)

3. Provo/Orem - VARIETY OF ORGANIZATIONS (Habitat for Humanity, Orchard Park Care Center, Kids on the Move, etc...)

To sign your family up for this amazing experience, please go to: http://www.unitedwayuc.org/

You will see the blue box that says "Family Volunteer Day". 

Have fun making wonderful memories with your families!!!

Fleece Blanket Instructions

No-Sew Slit-Fringe Fleece Blanket 
(no knots)

YOU WILL NEED:

Polar Fleece (1 yard, 1 ½ yard or 2 yard pieces), Ruler and Sewing Scissors

SIMPLE 5-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Step #1 - 

Before you begin, trim off selvage edges and square edges as needed.

Step #2 - 

Cut a 4 inch square from each corner of the fleece.

Step #3 - 

Cut clean and even 4-inch long by 1-inch wide fringe around the blanket. 

Step #4 - 

Using the tips of your scissors, make a tiny slit (about ½  inch long) at the base of each piece of fringe. 

Step #5 - 

Feed the end of the fringe through the back side of the slit you just cut and pull through to create a neat and secure fringed edge. (Please don’t do knots - the slit-fringe makes for a much softer blanket. Thanks!)

When your blanket(s) is finished you may either drop it off to my house or call me and I will pick it up.   

If you have any questions, let me know.  

Thank you so much for your help! 

*Blankets Due By Sunday, October 31^st. 

The Road Home

For the next 7 weeks we will be making and collecting blankets* for the Road Home, the largest shelter in Utah that assists individuals and families experiencing homelessness all along the Wasatch front. 

One of the biggest needs they have is blankets! With the cold weather just around the corner, this is a great time to gather blankets for our brothers and sisters who've fallen on extremely hard times. 

Please join us for our first

BLANKET PARTY

Friday, October 8 at 11:00 am

Ways you can help:

1 - Come to the Blanket Party (bring your own materials, scissors, etc)

2 - Make blanket(s) at home

3 - Donate blankets (new or gently used)

4 - Donate Materials

All blankets can be dropped off at my home until Oct. 31. Please call if you'd like me to pick up your donations! Thank you!!!

*Blankets can be any size

Another Year of Service!

September 2010 ~ May 2011

Its time to kick-off another year of service! 

This year we will be focusing on BLANKETS!!! 

We will be helping a wide variety of wonderful causes through our blankets. 

(homeless, hospitalized children, abused women & children, elderly, etc...)

Once a month, we'll have a "blanket party" to make as many blankets as we can. 

Blanket Parties will be on the 2nd Friday of each month at 11:00 a.m. at Laura's home. 

You can also make the blankets at home. This would be a fantastic project to do together with your families! 

If you can't make a blanket (either at home or at a blanket party), you can help by donating materials. 

Blankets can be no-sew fleece, quilted, tied, crocheted, or knitted

Hope to see you at the Blanket Parties! 

Projects for the Summer

During the summer months (June-August), we won't be having any official Hearts and Hands activities.

The summer is a great time to find wonderful service projects to do as a family! There are so many fun and rewarding opportunities in our area.

Please check out the list of Community Needs on the right for ideas for you and your family. If you ever have any questions, please let me know. I am always happy to help!

I hope you have a happy and memorable summer with your family as you find ways to serve!

Have a great summer!

Fantastic Flip Flops!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Because of your big, generous hearts we were able to collect over 60 pair of flip flops this month!

It is so heart warming to think of the 50 individual children that will receive them. You can almost see their beautiful faces and hear their sweet voices...

You made a difference! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Soul to Sole

For May's service project, we are collecting flip flops. These sandals will go to orphans around the world. Sometimes these flip flops will be the only shoes they get for a long, long time.

I will be collecting the flip flops all month long.

Thank you!

Spreading Sunshine to Nursing Home

I'd like to send out a big thanks to everyone who helped with the service project in April! We made 32 really cute and cheery door hangings and a dozen bright and happy centerpieces. They all went to a nursing home in Orem.

When my son and I dropped them off, they were so excited and appreciative! You truly did spread a little sunshine and your unselfishness did brighten someone's day!

Thanks again!

Date Change!!!

Please note the day that we are going to be putting the door hangers together will be on TUESDAY, APRIL 27 FROM 11AM TO NOON!

Thanks!

Scatter Sunshine

This month we will be making cheery, Spring-time door hangings and centerpieces for a local nursing home.

What better group of people to make something special for than the sweet elderly people in our area?!

We'll be making 32 door hangings on Tuesday, April 27 from 11 am to Noon at Laura's home.

We have the kits we just need lots of helping hands! Please join us.

Also, we need 12 Spring Centerpieces. They can be as simple or creative as you like. This would be such a fun family project!

Please let Laura know if you would like to make 1 or a few centerpieces. I'll need them by Tuesday, April 27.

Thank you so much for your willingness to brighten the day of elderly patients!

Pillowcases

Thank you so much for all of your support and generosity last month in helping us make pillowcases for hospitalized children!

Our goal was to make and donate 50 pillowcases.

Yesterday, Marianne and I dropped off 101 pillowcases!!!

The lady at the hospital was thrilled! She was pleasantly surprised with how many beautiful, fun and cheerful pillowcases we were donating.

Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy lives to make a pillowcase that will brighten someone's day!

You are wonderful!

Here we've about reached our goal of 50 pillowcases

The Final count: 101!!!

Never Wasted

"No act of kindness,

no matter how small,

is ever wasted."

- Aesop

Cheery Pillowcases

February / March Project -

Cheery Pillowcases for Hospitalized Children

GOAL = 50 PILLOWCASES!!!

During the rest of February and the entire month of March, we will be making fun and colorful pillowcases for the sick children at the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo.

Pillowcases need to be:

New, standard-size pillowcase

Bright, fun or holiday patterns appropriate for children

Please wash the material before making the pillowcases so that the dye from the material does not rub off onto little faces

Make a Pillowcase:

We are asking you to make as many pillowcases as you'd like at your own home. We won't be getting together to make them. (corrections from Ward Calendar: not meeting on the 26th)

Patterns can be found here: http://crafts.kaboose.com/pillowcases1.html

Donations:

You can bring your fiished pillowcases to the donation box in the RS room on Sundays or drop them off at Laura's home anytime in February/March.

THANK YOU!!!

Any Questions, please contact me

January's Project - Newborns In Need

During the month of January, I will be collecting blankets for "Newborns in Need". This is an organization that helps babies born to families living in poverty. Often, these families have little or nothing for their newborn.

Blankets can be:

• New or Gently Used
• Fleece, Flannel, Knitted, Quilted or Crocheted
• Flannel Receiving blankets are welcome, too!
• Any size appropriate for Newborns is welcome!

Donations:

You can bring your blankets to the donation box in the RS room on Sundays or drop them off at Laura's home anytime this month.

Make a Blanket

We will be meeting on Friday, January 29th at 11:00 to make blankets. I'll have some fleece and you may also bring your own materials to make whatever type of blanket you'd like.

THANK YOU!!!

My creed is that:

Happiness is the only good.

The place to be happy is here.

The time to be happy is now.

The way to be happy is

to make others so.

- Robert G. Ingersoll

The Stockings Are Hung

Today we put together all of the stockings for the The Women and Children in Crisis, an abuse shelter in Provo. We were able to make 30 stockings in all! And they were jammed packed full of goodies! I'm not sure we could've fit much more in them even if we wanted to.

A big thanks to everyone who donated items and helped put the stockings together! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

I think we find the true meaning of Christmas as we reach out to others - especially those whose hearts are heavy, whose eyes are downcast, and whose hands hang low. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to do something for someone else. That is the best Christmas gift I could ask for. I love that I can have dear friends by my side in service.

Thank you all for a wonderful year and I look forward to a new year full of love, friendship and lots of chances to give the gift of service!

Merry Christmas!

Santa's Workshop

That's what it feels like in my office this week with all of the donations for the Christmas stockings we're putting together for the shelter!

I love it! I feel like Santa's elf! It is so wonderful to "see" the generosity of the amazing ladies in our neighborhood.

We will be putting the stockings together on Friday but I couldn't wait to post these adorable pictures!

Thank you to everyone who donated! You will make a real difference in someone's life this Christmas!

"There is no higher religion than human service. To work for the common good is the highest creed."

~Woodrow Wilson