Back on the ground in SA....
Dear KASers...
I really do need to begin this post with a huge apology for the lack of comms over the past weeks. As most of you know, Sandy and family arrived in SA on 19 March for a holiday/KAS on the ground investigation/family reunion etc. From a family point of view, it was indescribably wonderful to have them here - we are a very close family, for which I am so grateful, but so terribly fractured by the geographical distances between us all on a day to day basis... We had a very busy but wonderful time in the weeks that the McDonalds and Zanny (Sandy's mum) were here and we managed to achieve a lot as far as KAS is concerned. Sandy kept a wonderful blog (www.allfororphans.com for those of you who have not yet seen it) of their time here too - very special and a great read for all involved in KAS.
On a personal note, for those of you who have been onto www.allfororphans.com, you may have read that we lost, very suddenly and unexpectedly, a very special family member just after our wonderful family reunion in Port Elizabeth (which was incredibly special and auspicious to begin with, but is even more so now in light of this terrible loss). Our Pete Lovemore, father to 4 daughters and a son, grandfather to two grandchildren and another on the way, brother to Charmian Huggins, Zanny Blew (Sandy's mum) and Ronda Lowrie (my mum), uncle to 4 nieces and a nephew (on our side of the family), great uncle to 7 great neices and 2 great nephews and friend to so, so many, passed away very suddenly in the early hours of the morning on 26 April 2010. The entire family is still, two weeks later, reeling. Apart from a long, long list of wonderful attributes, Pete was a philanthropist in so many ways and we will take inspiration from that for our continuing work with KAS...
Now that life is returning to some form of normalcy, I will be updating you all on what's happening 'on the ground' much more regularly again. Thank you for your understanding for the lack of information being provided over the past few weeks under the circumstances.
With love,
Erin
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Permalink Reply by Harrison's mom on -
Our thoughts are with you all.
We do appreciate the information you give to us, when you manage to give it to us and look very much forward to your next installment.
Vest wishes
Jeni
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Permalink Reply by Anne Powell on -
Good to have you back Erin. The sympathy of the whole KAS community has been with you during this very sad time for your family.
Since you are "on the ground" and have perhaps the best feeling for what is needed there, can I ask you a question?? Actually it was raised in a message I received from another member. We all have the feeling from Sandy's messages that we are well-stocked (or over-stocked) with very small baby blankets.
The question that was asked is - Is there anyway of joining two of these little blankets to make a toddler size that might be more useful?? I realize that many of these blankets are not just 'squares' - many are ripple or lacey patterns - so maybe it wouldn't work - but it is a thought.
The other thought is this - many of us are almost having nightmares over the photo of the babies and toddlers sleeping on bare linoleum. The small blankets that are made in the traditional way (12 squares joined) might possibly be sewn together on all four sides to make a double thickness sleeping mat for these little tads - not a perfect solution - but maybe a good use for our extra baby blankets. Since it is obvious that our knitters love making these, if the day comes when we urgently need small baby blankets and have the means to distribute them, I think they will flood in just as they did last time. -
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Permalink Reply by Christine Johnson on -
Yes, I absolutely agree with Anne. The pictures of those little children sleeping on the ground have haunted me ever since I saw them. I get a lot of squares donated and recently I have been joining these in 24s in the hope that small blankets might be of some immediate use but Anne's idea of joining two baby blankets seemed a good one. We so value your feedback on how to use limited resources effectively.
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Permalink Reply by Sylvia Vannelli on -
This seems a great idea to me. I have a large number of squares which I haven't sent because they are a little on the thin side. Two layers of 24 squares would make a great sleeping mat. If we get the OK from SA I shall be sewing straight away.
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Permalink Reply by Linda Maltby on -
The double thickness sleeping mats made me think of a toddler sized Cuddle.....leave one end open and the child could snuggle inside ?
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Permalink Reply by Sylvia Vannelli on
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Great idea Linda. I've been thinking sleeping bags for a long time. What a good idea on how to make some.
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Permalink Reply by Dawne Smith-Sliming on -
Hey Anne,
How about starting a discussion thread called Sleeping Mats or something like that? We can brainstorm the sleeping mat ideas in a more central place. It's been haunting me as well, those children sleeping on a bare floor and my brain has been going in overdrive to find a way to make sleeping mats that are affordable to post without putting too much extra work on the folks in S. Africa.
We put a picture of the babies on linoleum on our KAS on the Go Day presentation board. A picture is worth a thousand words! People really took notice. -
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Permalink Reply by Linda Maltby on
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Erin, condolences over the passing of your Uncle Pete. It is very difficult to lose a close family member and so suddenly as well.
Take care of yourself and take as much time as you need to grieve. We all understand.
Linda -
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Permalink Reply by Erin van der Vyver on -
Thank you so much, Linda. All your condolences, thoughts and prayers mean the world to the whole family...
Erin -
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Permalink Reply by P. Jeanne Haessler on -
Thank you for the opportunity to express again my sincere sympathies to your entire family over your sudden and shocking loss. I am so glad you had that time all together with him. I'm sure he's smiling down at you all from where he is now, well pleased with how much you've all learned to help others from his examples. In a very true way, you are all his legacy to the world. :) It's totally understandable that you haven't had time or energy to come here until now. Don't worry about it.
I LOVE the idea of doubling up baby blankets to make sleeping mats. Is that possible? -
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Permalink Reply by Erin van der Vyver on
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What a wonderful thing to think about, thanks Jeanne.
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Permalink Reply by Dawne Smith-Sliming on
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Erin,
I am so sorry for your family's loss. It takes much more than 2 weeks to grieve the loss of someone so wonderful. Take your time.
We all appreciate your efforts on the ground for KAS.
Hugs to you all,
dawne -
Just $30 covers fuel and other car costs to distribute dozens of blankets to kids who need them.
Click here.
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