January 2015 ~ If we are willing

"One doesn't have to be wealthy to give, only willing;
 and the Lord will provide." ~ Hearts Knit Together

Our upcoming Humanitarian Service meeting will be held Monday, January 5th at Carolyn's home at 10:00 a.m.  We will be making Journals for  Hearts Knit Together (This non-profit organization helps abused women and children have a safe place to stay) and working on coloring Alphabet Books for the Humanitarian Center in American Fork.

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We will be collecting full size bottles of matching shampoo & conditioner or a bottle of lotion for Hearts Knit Together.

We will also have a potluck lunch.  Come, bring a friend and enjoy a few hours of service. 

Here is a photo of the kits they put together to give the women when they come in to the shelter.  Bring a friend and come and join us for a few fun hours of service!

  

"There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting another." ~ Frank Lloyd Wright

“We are living art.  Created to help others hang on, stand up, forbear, continue.” 

~ Mayou Angelou

2014 ~ our year in retrospect

January ~Project: We colored children's alphabet book pages for the American Fork Humanitarian Center

Collected: Feminine hygiene products for the Food and Care Coalition in Provo.

February ~

Project: We made homemade Valentines for Payson nursing homes

Collected: Relief supplies for the Phillipines, greeting card fronts for St. Judes and empty printer cartridges for a Salt Lake Charity

March ~

Project: We made journals for Hearts Knit Together.

Collected: Diapers and formula for The Road Home homeless shelter in Salt Lake City.

Barbara, Vila, Carolyn

April ~

Project: Sewed adult size bibs/clothing protectors for Payson & Elk Ridge Nursing homes

Collected: Fabric to make the bibs

Ann, Carolyn, Ardis, Carol, Vila, Lynn, Paulette, Paula

May ~

Project: We made Sanitary Kits for Days for Girls

Collected: Pillows for the Food & Care Coalition as well as money for Days for Girls supplies.

Ardis, Carol,  RaeLee, Vila, Barbara, Carolyn, Lynn, Paulette, Paula, Kathy

June ~ 

Project: We made 24 missionary socks for the gift shop at Festival of Trees

Collected: Cold cereal and foot cream for the Food & Care Coalition

July ~

Project: We made ornaments for our tree for the Festival of Trees

Collected: Items for Days for Girls

August ~

Project: We worked on ornaments for our tree for the Festival of Trees

Collected: School supplies for Tabitha's Way in Spanish Fork

September ~

Project: We made ornaments for our tree for the Festival of Trees

Collected: Baby clothing, baby toiletries and diapers for Baby's Bounty Charity in Las Vegas.

October ~

Project: We made pillow case dresses for Little Dresses for Africa, Christmas tea towels, snowmen pins, Rudolph necklaces for the Doll House Festival Boutique and Mothers Without Borders Boutique.

Collected: Pillow cases for dresses and craft items for the boutiques

November ~

Project: Filled Christmas stockings for soldiers serving in Afghanistan and made dog socks for the Festival of Trees boutique.

Collected: Items for the soldiers' socks

Sandy, Carol, Vila, Patti, Lynn, Carolyn, Barbara

December ~

Project: Mad Hatter Tea Party tree for Festival of Trees

Carolyn, Carol, Lynn, Vila, Paula, Patti, Kathy

A great year!  Thank you ladies!  You are all angels! ~ Carolyn

“I can think of no single feat that was accomplished without a little help.  From the greatest minds in the world to the most successful corporations, no one can honestly claim they did it all alone.  It’s often said it takes “a village to raise a child.”  I believe that village is also necessary to contribute to any level of success in adulthood as well.  This world is simply too big a place to go it alone.” Harvey Mackay

Madhatter's Tea Party ~the Simple and Loving Heart of Childhood

“Lastly, she pictured to herself how this same little sister of hers would, in the after-time, be herself a grown woman; and how she would keep, through all her riper years, the simple and loving heart of her childhood: and how she would gather about her other little children, and make their eyes bright and eager with many a strange tale, perhaps even with the dream of Wonderland of long ago: and how she would feel with all their simple sorrows, and find a pleasure in all their simple joys, remembering her own child-life, and the happy summer days.”  ― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

 Our Tree this year for the Festival of Trees was "The Mad Hatter's Tea Party" from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. Every penny raised at the Festival of Trees goes to help a child in need at Primary Childrens Hospital here in Salt Lake.  Children come from all over the world to receive the specialized care or surgery they need.

Paula chose bright, fun colors, with a mixture of all kinds of chairs, table settings and clocks galore.

 The tree was festive in painted mushrooms, bottles saying,"Drink Me", cups and saucers, and lots and lots of clocks.

Carolyn, Carol, Lynn, Vila, Paula Patti and Kathy 

The lovely ladies who spent the day at the Festival decorating the tree and preparing for bid night.  We are happy to report that our tree did sell on bid night and we hope that it brings happiness and joy to everyone who gets to see it!

Synergy of Service

“It’s the synergy, the synergy between service before self. And the responding gratitude, the expressed gratitude that comes back. Service before self, gratitude and attitude.Service is something we all can do, even in small ways, even in the worst of times.. . from little things big things can happen.” ~ Gail Halvorson, the Candy Bomber 

Carol, Barbara, Lynn and Carolyn stuffing soldier Christmas stockings

 On November 3rd, we met at Lynn's home to stuff our Socks for Soldiers. We also filled stockings with pet treats that will be taken up to the Boutique at the Festival of Trees in December.

Patti, Barbara and Carol

 The Socks for Soldiers are shipped to men and women serving in the military over seas around the world by the American Fork Humanitarian Services Center (for more information see the information below.

Vila with the dog treat stockings

 The stockings for pets are filled with pet treats and chew toys and have a fun little tag saying "from Santa Paws."  These are a popular item at the Festival of Trees boutique.

Patti, Carol, Barbara

Kathy, Carol, Vila, Patti, Lynn, Carolyn and Barbara with soldier stockings

Sandy, Carol, Vila, Patti, Lynn, Carolyn and Barbara with soldier stockings

For 25 years now, Rose Ann Gunther has been directing Humanitarian efforts at the American Fork East Stake Center.  This is part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint's Humanitarian efforts world wide, but held locally.  Should the sisters in your ward have time to spare, this is a service they can just go and do, any Wednesday, without any preparation or cost on their part. Also, Sister Gunther will check out materials for projects that your sisters can complete in your wardand bring them back finished.  

Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Directions to  the AF East Stake Center: 825 E. 500 N.

-Go south on 4800 West in Highland

-Turn right on 900 East (American Fork), just before you get to the Timpanogos Temple.  

-Go down 900 East to 500 North.  

-Turn right on 500 North.  The orange brick church is straight ahead.  Enter through the back doors.

People Who Volunteer are Happier ~ October 2014

 "People who volunteer are happier. You simply can’t find any kind of service that won’t make you happier. Studies show that when people give, it lowers their levels of stress. People who do their jobs with less stress tend to be more productive and successful. Throughout our lives, if we can find ways to relax, we will profit from it.

Consider Mosiah 4:21:

'And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives

 and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, 

O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another.'"

Arthur C. Brooks is president of the American Enterprise Institute. This is adapted from a forum address given on February 24, 2009. http://magazine.byu.edu/?act=view&a=2441

Our October meeting was held at Carolyn's home at 10:00 a.m. 

Rae Lee working on some Christmas Pillow Cases for the boutique

Ladies brought crafts to donate and we also worked on some crafts for the Children's Justice Center Boutique and Mothers Without Borders Boutique. 

Barbara, Vila, Paula, Carolyn and Lynn all sewing Pillow Case Dresses

A few of the cute pillow case dresses that were being worked on

We made Pillow Case Dresses for Little Dresses for Africa, an organization whose tag line is "We're not just sending dresses, we're sending hope."  This organization sends simple dresses and shorts to children all over the world who are in need of clothing.  

The dresses are simple and easy to make.  They can be made from a pillow case or a short length of fabric.  Patterns are available at http://www.littledressesforafrica.org/blog/pillow-case-pattern/

Carolyn, Paula and Ardis working on some little snowman pins that light up for the boutiques.

Snowman Light Lapel Pins

Reindeer Necklaces 

Mini-Hershey Bar Snowmen

Christmas Dish Towels

A few of the crafts that were donated for the boutiques

Every baby deserves to wrapped in love - September reportKim

"Every baby deserves to be wrapped in love . . . 

and every parent deserves the gift of hope."

~ Kim Amato, Baby's Bounty

Kim Amato Founder of Baby's Bounty and Renae H

On Tuesday, September 23, Tim H drove Renae and Carolyn from Mesquite to Las Vegas so we could turn in the baby clothes and supplies the We Can ladies had donated at our September meeting. It was special that Renae got to go with Carolyn because even though Renae can never attend our We Can meetings, she donates every month and is actively interested in what we are collecting and doing at We Can.  
We were pleased to meet Kim Amato, the founder of Baby's Bounty, who happened to be at the collection center that day.  

Kim Amato, Founder of Baby's Bounty

Kim showed us a kit that was ready to be delivered. We were able to ask her questions about Baby's Bounty and talk with her about the charity's mission and needs.   It's always nice to meet a charity's founder because you can feel their excitement, passion, commitment,  and love for their cause and the people they serve.  We left feeling impressed with Baby's Bounty and the work that they do.  We felt like we had done some good that day. Thank you to the We Can ladies for the two boxes of baby clothing and supplies donated to a very worthy charity. 

September 2014

"Emerson said that every great institution is but the lengthened shadow of a great person. The power is in us, in each of us - the power to do significant acts of service on our own initiative if we will become anxiously engaged.”

– Gordon B. Hinckley

Vila, Carolyn, Paula, Carol

  Monday, September 8th we met at Barbara's home to continue working on our ornaments for our Festival of Trees donation.  Taking the theme from Alice in Wonderland, we worked on different types of clocks and tea cups.

Carol, Barbara, Rae Lee and Kathy

 “How puzzling all these changes are! I'm never sure what I'm going to be, from one minute to another.” 
― Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

“Yes, that's it! Said the Hatter with a sigh, it's always tea time.” 
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

We collected newborn up to size three months clothing for babies, diapers, wipes, bottles, pacifiers, etc. for an organization in Las Vegas, called Baby's Bounty, a non-profit organization that provides essential clothing and gear to babies born into low income families for their health, safety and well being.  Recipients include babies born to victims of domestic abuse, teen mothers and those living in poverty.  

Now is the Time to Begin ~ August 2014

"We are sorely mistaken if we think that at some future point

 it will be more convenient, 

when we have more time, 

more money or 

more anything 

to serve others better.  

Now is the time to begin." 

~Dale G Renlund, BYU Devotional, Sept 16th

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Monday, August 4th, ten of us met at Carolyn's home to work on ornaments for the Festival of Trees and we collected school supplies for Tabitha's Way, a local organization that collects school supplies and puts them into back packs for local children who would not have the needed supplies to begin school.

Paula, Carol, Lynn, Carolyn, Vila and Ardis

We made lots more "Drink Me!" bottles.

Toad stools were created out of Paper mache and will be painted bright colors.

Carolyn

Several of the ladies also worked on paper folding for clocks.

Carol and Lynn

Barbara and Kathy

Carolyn's lovely black and white with yellow table setting

Paula, Vila, Lynn, Kathy and

We enjoyed a delicious pot luck lunch.

Carolyn, Barbara, Carol and Ardis