FEBRUARY 23: People email us and ask if we are
still collecting squares. If anyone saw Oprah
on Tuesday, February 21, you'll know our answer will remain a resounding
, "Yes, yes, yes!" It's shocking and terrible to realize
people are living in tent cities, and there are thousands of FEMA trailers
standing empty nearby caught up in federal and state red tape. Just
because we do not see people daily on the news discussing the hurricanes last
summer doesn't mean our help is not needed. Our gestures are small, but they
show people who think they have been forgotten by their government that someone--heck
many someones across the country--care. Please send squares; Heather from
will be travelling to the Gulf States area March 13th with as many blankets
as a trailer will hold. She accepts all kinds--Sewn, quilted, no-sew fleece.
There are also many other groups doing the same type of work for our neighbors
to the South. If you don't send knit or crochet a square or two for us, find
a group and help.
FEBRUARY 20: President's Day! The past week brought us two feet of snow in Northern Michigan. Between the Olympics and watching my husband plow the driveway, I pieced together several blankets, but I need more squares! I have one blanket left to put together and then the beginnings for three more are laid out, but there's not enough squares to finish them. Several people have sent inquiries about whether I was still collecting for the project. Yes--as long as there are families and individuals trying to rebuild their lives swept away by hurricanes or other disasters, I will be piecing together blankets. With the attention on the Gulf because of Mardi Gras, I am sure you see there's still a great need to let these people know others understand and sympathize with their plights. We cannot forget them because they are no longer in the news daily--I am trying to gather as many blankets together as I can to send to Heather and Blankets for the Gulf. She and her family are heading to the Cameron, Louisiana area March 15 during their Spring break to distribute blankets. If all the people who viewed this site sent me one knitted or crocheted square, I'd be too busy, and that would be terrific!
FEBRUARY 10: Ten states have contributed squares as of today; come on you other forty! Michigan leads the way in amount of people participating, but Missouri and Kansas are right behind! If we have any international knitters and/or crocheters reading this web page, we would love squares from your country, and I will cite it on our map page. Four more blankets are headed to a Louisiana family Monday, and with the two boxes of squares I received today, we should be able to finish another three or perhaps four. With the Olympics on for the next couple weeks, search your closets or buy some closeout yarn and knit while the speed skaters whip across the screen! Special thanks to my new friend in New Mexico! I love the peppers!
FEBRUARY 1: With the help of a friend, the blankets come together quickly these days along with more and more requests to send them. Please send squares; it takes 35 per blanket if they are eight inches. I sort by colors and variety, and right now, my selections are dwindling because we are putting them together so quickly. There are plenty of states NOT REPRESENTED on our map, so we'd love to hear from you. To those of you who have sent me multiple shipments of squares --thank you! Here's a letter that should make us all knit or crochet more:
"Hello, I am a resident of Cameorn parish and like everyone else lost everything that we owned. I am a single mother of 2 boys 15 and 13 and was wondering if I could possibly get a blanket for them, and if not for them then for my father. . . also of Cameron. Even if this is not possible, I would just like to thank you for all that you have done for my fellow neighbors."
We sent this woman blankets this week, and she has promised us pictures! Keep 'em coming all you "squares."