Happy New Year, everyone!

Welcome to 2014.

 

I hope that everyone's 2013 will be remembered fondly, and that you are all looking forward to another fantastic year.

 

I know the moderators have already planned all sorts of exciting new challenges and activities for the new year. It won't be long now before the first distributions of 2014 start happening in South Africa, which I'm sure we're all looking forward to. The new year is always an exciting time!

 

A New Website

 

Speaking of exciting times, I'm delighted to announce that the knit-a-square.com website has had a massive overhaul, and all of these changes will become visible to everyone at some point over the next six hours. Depending on which Internet company you use, you might even be able to see the changes now:

http://www.knit-a-square.com/

(If you are computer savvy, you might like to clear your browser cache to make sure that everything is showing up correctly. If you have no idea what that means, don't worry. Your computer will catch up by itself, you just might need to wait a little while.)

 

The rework to the site has been a monumental effort, starting back in September of 2012. The project has taken fifteen months to get right, and we're all really excited to see it working!

 

Special thanks must go to Pam Antink, Laurie Fortier, Linda Maltby, Anne Powell and Sandy McDonald for going through every single page on the site, checking its content, and updating it to be completely up to date. Thanks too to Ronda Lowrie and Wendy Hardy for writing several new pieces of content relating to the South Africa project, which have now been added.

 

Over the next few weeks there will be a few more changes. We'll be migrating Laurie's wonderful 'one square at a time' blog over into the new KasBlog section of the website, which also includes the South Africa Reports from Ronda and Wendy, the KasSnippets from Pam, and an archive of all our eZines and articles.

 

We hope you love everything on the new site. If you notice anything on there which isn't working, or anything on the forum which doesn't look quite right any more, please let me know. It could be that we missed something during the switch over, and it will probably be an easy fix.

 

Some numbers

 

At this 'end of year' time, I thought it might be great to share a couple of unofficial numbers. Most of these are not officially confirmed yet, and I'm sure more will be coming out in the next few weeks, but if you're like me then you'll probably be keen to see them anyway.

 

Squares

Anne has gone through the square lists from January through to November (the December list has not yet been finalized) and confirmed that this year we received at least 145,848 squares! That's enough to make blankets for at least 4109 children. Once the December numbers come in, we'll publish the full breakdown of all the wonderful goodies which have arrived over the year.

 

I also have to make a special shout out to the forum members participating in the "Great Heights" challenge. Together, you have already managed to make so many squares that, if they were all stacked one on top of another, they would be tall enough to reach the top of the Sydney Opera House. Inspirational!

 

 

The KAS Operations Shop

The KAS Ops Support items first started to appear in the shop this year, and your support of them has been fantastic. Since they first appeared, you have sponsored:

  • 20 months worth of Mobile Phone Subscriptions! That allows our volunteers to call creches and other distribution centers and plan ahead, to communicate with our financial sponsors in South Africa, and to coordinate all of the activity that goes on constantly in South Africa. 20 months' worth is enough to keep two of our volunteers connected for almost a full year each.
  • Fuel to get the KasMobile to at least 28 distributions! That means picking up squares from the post office, taking them to be sewn up, and then driving them all over to place to be given to the kids. Fuel is absolutely vital to our ability to get your squares where they can do the most good.
  • Snacks for 44 creche distributions! Nothing makes a distribution into a party more than delicious snacks for the kids to enjoy while they wait for their blankets and toys to be handed out.
  • 97 Reams of Paper! Along with the pencils and crayons which make their way into our packages, paper enables kids to express themselves through drawing, and to learn vital elementary skills like writing and mathematics. The beautiful illustrations and cut-outs that the kids make are also perfect for brightening up otherwise dull walls in their creches and day care centers.

It's worth remembering too, that if we are ever lucky enough to get more support for one Ops item than we need, those funds will go to fill a shortfall in some other operational activity. That way, we can keep everything running at peak efficiency!

We've also seen sales of 28 Teachers' Guides, which only goes to show how powerful the idea of KAS is in primary and secondary schools all around the world!

 

 

The Forum

Pam has done some analysis on the forum itself, and discovered that over the year we have gained 1,503 new members. Hi new members!

  • 254 new members discovered us through the Internet
  • 112 new members found us through family and friends. Well done to everyone who has been sharing KAS by word of mouth, your efforts have been successful!
  • 124 new members found the forum through other avenues, including Facebook, Ravelry, and print media.

If you are one of these new members who hasn't yet introduced yourself, it would be quite wonderful to hear from you. If you've just joined in the new year, welcome to the cause! We look forward to sharing this experience with each and every one of you.

 

And finally, some questions

 

Most of you probably don't know, but when I'm not knitting or crocheting, I work in IT. One of the things IT folk like to do at the end of and important project or milestone is to hold a 'retrospective' meeting.

 

We review everything we've done, identify things that went well, things that we can do better in the future, and come up with ideas for things we might like to try. I'd love it if you would share your thoughts with us around those things.

 

If you would like some specific prompts, here are some questions to think about. Be as creative as you like, especially if you have new ideas! If you're not comfortable answering publicly here, you're also welcome to send me a private message. If you have any other thoughts or ideas which don't match one of those questions, share it anyway.

  • What moment(s) stood out most for you during the last year in KAS? What about it made it stand out?
  • What do you think KAS does really well?
  • What do you think KAS should focus on doing more of, or doing better in the future?
  • Is there anything you would like us to do less of, or to stop doing entirely?
  • If there was exactly one thing that KasCare could do to make your KAS experience more engaging, easier, or more fun in 2014, what would that thing be?
  • Do you have any brilliant ideas for things we might try in 2014?

 

Treat this is a huge sharing and brainstorming thread if you'd like. How do we make 2014 the best KAS year yet?

 

Happy New Year everyone!

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Replies

    • What moment(s) stood out most for you during the last year in KAS? What about it made it stand out?
      • So much progress all year, so many people helped in so many ways - as I believe the volunteers are helped mentally and spiritually as well as the enormous obvious benefit to the children.
    • What do you think KAS does really well?
      • Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in SA - the constant photos and reports are so important in motivating us all.  KAS Snippets is a perfect update and Ronda's reports are the icing on the cake.
    • What do you think KAS should focus on doing more of, or doing better in the future?
      • More of the same really
    • Is there anything you would like us to do less of, or to stop doing entirely?
      • I have concerns about the squares list - just how much time it takes to keep it up.  While everyone likes to know that things have arrived  we have proof every day in pictures and reports just what has arrived and is being distributed.  A tally of what goes out should be adequate to prove what comes in - just a thought.
    • If there was exactly one thing that KasCare could do to make your KAS experience more engaging, easier, or more fun in 2014, what would that thing be?
      • Can't think of anything, you do it all so well.
    • Do you have any brilliant ideas for things we might try in 2014?
      • Not at the moment.
      • Would just like to say the new website is terrific and thanks so much to everyone for their VERY hard work in revising it.  I particularly love the changing photos on the front page - it keeps the site looking fresh and new and loved.  The important banners down the side are a great way of focusing us on important issues too
      • VERY WELL DONE -  A think a KAS Heart award should go to all of you who have worked on the website and forums!

     

    • I tend to agree on the Squares List.  I've never bothered with it. I have occasionally seen Distribution photos containing slip-ins or stuffed animals I've sent or perhaps a hat or some squares...I know things are getting through and I go on faith that they are all getting through. I often send them off with a prayer.  I think energies need to be spent most on opening and sorting and bundling into blanket packs, that kind of thing. Just my two cents worth.  I love the Distribution photos by the way, they're always such a motivator for me and seeing happy kids, even seeing the sad withdrawn ones, just inspires me to do as much as I can for them, every way I can. :)

      • Me too Jeanne :-)

    • Congratulations KAS| on your new website.  Here are my comments generally.

    • I think KAS is doing a brilliant job  in involving knitters from all over the world and the local South African communities in creating the blankets. I am so impressed by the way you use the Internet  to motivate us all with the patterns online and stimulating monthly challenges (so we never get bored),  with the photographs of our contributions and best of all the reports and images on what happens to our efforts in helping the children - all so vibrant, interactive and motivational. I also like the fact that you stress we all can make a contribution, whether an experienced knitter of garments, or a plain knitter of squares.  Everyone on the Forum is so friendly and supportive. I admire the management skills of the KAS team  as you are always reviewing what you do and striving to be innovative and forward thinking. 

    • Like others, I did initially have problems with navigating the Forum website, though my queries were answered quickly and. in a friendly fashion, so I did not feel an absolute "dimwit"!.  I realize these issues are being addressed - thank you. 
    • Re widening the knowledge of KAS - what about a  small leaflet'/lyer that we can download and circulate to interested individuals and groups we know locally, specifically those who do not have access to the Internet.
    • A minor point - I did have ideas for 2014 monthly challenges, and kept waiting for an opportunity to submit these - perhaps I missed the invitation, as  I thought we had been asked  in late 2012 for 2013,  I will keep the ideas for the end of this year! 

      I have no brilliant ideas for the future, but do keep doing what you are doing now - even better and bigger. 
      Good Luck!  

    • Good idea about the flyer Susan.  There must have been one once upon a time as that's how I found out about KAS.  As to size, three of them were cut from an A4 sheet of paper.  I still have it, but I could never find it on the site [to copy and give out].........Roz x

      P.S. I just read Erica's message, I can give out the square measure.....!  x

      • Roz, the Square Measure is a good way to spread the word :-)

    • Hi Susan, and thank you for that wonderful feedback!

      I can absolutely help with your point about a leaflet for offline folks! Take a look at out "Resources" page on the website here:

      http://www.knit-a-square.com/knit-a-square-resources.html

      The first file on there, the Square Measure, is a single page leaflet describing what we do and how to contribute, and is the exact target size of the squares so you can use it as a bit of a ruler. Perfect for printing off and sharing with non-net knitters!

      I'm not sure if there was a general post about monthly challenges, but please do share them here (or PM a moderator if you'd rather keep them a bit 'hush hush') and we'll make sure to include them on the list of possible future challenges. Challenge ideas are welcome at any time of the year!

      •  Many thanks, Erica for replying so quickly and giving me a link to a flyer.leaflet.

        Re the monthly challenges, when I looked back at my list of suggestions, I realized the topics were there for 2014 - albeit under a different name.    However here is my list and it  may provide ideas for the future. 

        • Lucky Dip - Odds & Ends  - Free for All
        • Kaleidoscope Colours
        • Around the World
        • Land, Sea and Sky
        • Be Inspired  (by a memory, a person,  book, film or TV programme)
        • Time for Tea -  i.e. food & drink
        • On the Job  e.g. joiner, teacher, librarian, painter, farmer, musician, gardener, cook  etc.etc. 
        • I love the idea, Susan of an "On the Job" challenge...showing either one's own job, including being a Mum or Grandmum, right on up to other jobs we see all around us every day.  These types of theme squares might be inspirational for the children, to suggest interests, jobs or careers they might like to do when they grow up.  This might, in turn, motivate them to stay in school, get good grades etc.  Though it seems those who have little are often very motivated, compared to some of the kids in more affluent countries.  Really good challenge ideas, thanks for sharing them!

        • Thanks Susan !   Will keep these in mind for 2015 :-)

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