HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY
Happy Mother’s Day to all Handmade participants, their mothers, daughters, sisters, husbands, sons, brothers, and friends.
I often write about terrible things that happen to women who are abused, sex slaves, involved in trafficking, etc. Today I want to write about wonderful things happening to Handmade. Since our huge Mother’s Day shipping at the end of April, we have been receiving many emails, letters, and thank you notes with the most heart-warming comments. I want to share a few of them with you to make your Mother’s Day celebration even happier.
Barry Klein, owner of Trendsetter Yarns, one of Handmade’s most generous yarn donors, wrote in response to my newsletter/blog about Handmade’s Mother’s Day shipping (2,060 comfort scarves to 60 shelters): “Amazing what your group does. Honored to be a part.” Obviously, Handmade couldn’t make comfort scarves without lots and lots of yarn. We’re so grateful to companies like Trendsetter, Skacel, and Brown Sheep who donate miles and miles of yarn. Your contributions assure that there will be plenty of comfort scarves to come!
Daniela Luna, Senior Childcare Specialist, at AVDVC (Antelope Valley Domestic Violence Center), shared this beautiful note:
My name is Daniela and I am reaching out to you from AVDVC to thank you for the absolutely beautiful scarves. We are saving the majority to hand out for Mother's Day but did hand out a few to some participants that were having a hard day and needed a pick me up. One of our youngest participants is 7 years old. She chose the purple scarf because she said it was beautiful and that she had learned in school that blue and red make purple. Our other participants wanted to thank you for making such beautiful color combinations. Both young ladies stated that they found the exact colors they love and can't wait to wear their new scarves that will be perfect accessories for the Spring and a nice addition in the Winter. We appreciate all you do, included you will find some photos we would like to share with you. Faces aren't shown for confidentiality purposes. Thanks again for thinking of us.
Kind regards,
Daniela Luna
You can see the photo of the child mentioned above with her “purple” scarf on our Facebook page.
Jody Winger, from the San Gabriel Valley YWCA sent a darling card, with the following note inside:
Thank you, ladies, so much. Our clients love the scarves. We’ve also given some to our homebound seniors that needed warmth. They love them too. You ladies are awesome to think of our clients. Thank you again!
Joanne, from Sunnyvale, one of our most prolific scarfers, sent us this note:
I just finished reading the e-mail that we shipped 2,060 scarves. My thanks to all for their help in getting out that many. As a survivor I know what it feels like to receive such kindness. So please send my thanks to all the gals that do the behind the scenes work, too.
It means so much to Joanne to participate in our scarf project. She is grateful to be able to help others who are in the situation she experienced in the 1970s. FYI, at least 25% of Handmade’s participants are abuse survivors themselves. They want to give back.
Another scarf maker, Joanna, from Carlsbad, who viewed domestic violence in her childhood, makes this promise:
I’ll send hats & scarves on an every-other month basis! You can count on me. Domestic Violence is a cause near to my heart. I’m a child of domestic violence in the home. So, I feel for the women and children.
Handmade’s other (non-abuse surviving) participants are just as dedicated. Some contribute on a daily basis, some weekly, some monthly, some every other month, some whenever they can get it together. It doesn’t matter. Abuse doesn’t follow the calendar. It occurs all the time. Handmade ships comfort scarves to shelters nine months a year. We fill the boxes one scarf at a time. Every scarf counts.
Isidore November, one of our rare male scarfers, is a manager at the AT&T call center in Tustin. Due to his dedication to Handmade, several employees there make monthy monetary donations to us. In addition, Izzy leads an Orange County knitting group, called the Fiberistas. They just donated a huge amount of scarves, hats and baby items. I sent them my regular thank you letter, which I know many of you receive all the time, and Izzy replied:
My ladies and I consider it an honor to be able to contribute to Handmade. . . We consider making comfort scarves a labor of love.
Imagine that, people are “honored” to participate in Handmade. Shelters are thrilled to receive from Handmade. I agree. We are a great group of people. And I am honored to be associated with all of you. Thank you again and again for all you do for Handmade. I too am thrilled to participate.
These are some of the “Handmade” reasons I will really enjoy celebrating Mother’s Day this weekend. Of course, I have additional “family” reasons that will enhance my enjoyment of the day. I hope you enjoy however you celebrate it too.
Love,
Leslye