Welcome to our final Blogpost for 2014 ... and this one takes us to our end of year Christmas breakup at the Barn, where we indulged in a little relaxation, some lovely festive fare ... a couple of Thank You speeches and a 'heads up' for what we hope to achieve in the New Year.
This pic above ^ is specifically for Gaynors daughter in law Fiona who had previously asked me for a photo of our Barn. She had a "plan' (sneaky little minx) and at the time I realised I had never actually snapped the Barn 'full on', so to speak. So now .... a tad late for her secret project, but especially for you Fiona .. here 'tis ;) And isn't it lovely? We achieve so very much from within these four walls, creating fabric 'hugs' that go almost to all four corners of the globe.
Starting to fill every corner of the Barn. Present on the day were Christine and Michael, Carol, Roedie and Jeanette Rap, Anne and Carole (new members), Maxine, Carol, Val, Yvonne, Don and Amber, Julie and Ian, Pauline and Chris, Val Reilly, Deborah, Peter, myself and Emily, Donald and Ethan, Isobel and Jim, Keith and Helen Greenwood, Veronica and Tony Tabone, Joy and Jan, and of course Gaynor and Reg. Think I managed to make a note of all who came to share our Christmas 'party' :)
Maxine, Carol, Val, Carol, Christine and Gaynor .....
Deborah (back to camera) Amber, Don and Donald (confusing eh?) and young Ethan, Gaynors grandson.
Julie and husband Ian, Roedie and wife Jeanette ....
Gaynor, Pauline, Carol, Maxine and Christine ....
Peter and Emily, with Val, Maxine, Christine, Carol, Anne, Carole, Ethan, Deborah and Don in background ....
Roedie, Keith and Helen Greenwood, Julie and Ian Robinson. It was the amazing Chrfistian Outreach Ministry started by Keith and Helen that gave Gaynor the idea to start Quilts for Orphans as a way to bless children in India with our fabric 'hugs' back in 2007 ....
Absolutely spoilt for choice ......
Everyone enjoyed .... :)
Jim, Isobel and Joy ......
Gaynor, Keith and Jan .....
Carol, Christine (at rear) Maxine, Michael, Chris and Pauline ....
The two Vals ... with Anne and Carole ... our newest members ...
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Presenting Gaynor and Reg with a token of appreciation for all that they have facilitated over the years since beginning this project of making quilts for needy children overseas. They have put so very much of their time and energy and heart into making our Barn a place of much happiness and creativity ... hope they enjoy their 'treat'. A trip on Puffing Billy I believe. Should be wonderful ....
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Also recognising the amazing job that Yvonne does for us with her custom quilting machine. She has created some incredible work for us since becoming an integral part of QFO soon after its inception. Hope she enjoys her 'treat' too, she deserves it. Such a talented and generous lady ....
We then had Christine talk to us about a new project which we will become involved with in 2015. There is an organisation, based locally in Kilsyth, called The Babes Project. It assists, mentors and supports young girls who face the daunting prospect of becoming mothers whilst still quite young. It helps them to keep their babies, teaching them budgeting, nutrition and cooking classes and many other life skills which will enable them to be the best Mums they can be for the new life they will be nurturing. They have presently 50 young Mums, or Mums to be, on their books and we have been asked if we can provided these girls with our fabric 'hugs'. This we will be honoured to do. Watch this Blog for more as we meet their need with love.
Val then took the floor with another project for us to do in 2015. This time it was a request from a great local organisation called Elishacare.This ministry operates out of the old Croydon Fire Station and is involved with supporting and mentoring folk who have had various addiction/dependency issues and have been 'doing life hard', so to speak. Elishacare has set up a gardening service which gives the folk it is mentoring the opportunity to engage in worthwhile work, doing oddjobs and maintenance work under supervison, as they get back into life. They have asked for quilts for 10 male and 10 female people that they are presently working with. This we will be delighted to do ... it's great to be able to provide people locally, as well as globally, with our efforts. Again I suggest you watch this space as we hear more about Elishacare. I will be posting Links to both the Babes project AND Elishacare at the end of this Post.
We then heard from Roedie Rap .... you may recall that in a recent Blog entry I shared with you the story of three of our quilts which traveled to the Ukraine with Roedie. Today he shared with us the incredible blessing those quilts made on the three families that recieved them. So very sobering to realise that whilst we have so very much in the way of material 'blessings' here, in other parts of the world there are folk who have had their lives torn asunder by conflict, losing absolutely everything in the process. The simple gift of one of our quilts can go a long way toward letting them know that we care ... it just reinforces that what we are doing really matters. And so we look forward to being able to do even more in the year ahead.
Then it was Gaynors turn to do a 'presentation'. This time it was the turn of Helen Greenwood to be honoured for her and husband Keiths vision and heart for needy children in India. A vision which saw the COM ministry that they founded create so much hope for children living halfway across the world. Helen now is busy stitching for chidren in Papua New Guinea .... her small stature hides a heart as big as Texas when it comes to serving those in need. She is one awesome lady!!
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It was wonderful to be able to 'bless' Helen with a quilt .... so that she too could be wrapped in one of our 'hugs' in appreciation of all that she has selflessly and humbly done for others. She 'let slip' that she had never owned a quilt before .... so how very appropriate it is to give her one of ours in recognition of all that she has done for others. Enjoy your 'hug' Helen .... and Keith :)
Carol and Maxine ... These two ladies have been friends since school .... how lovely that they come stitch with us each month .... the 'photobomb' dude in front is my chauffeur ;)
Helen, Carol, Val and Val ...
It's a hard life ...... isn't it? But these three found a spot to chill out ...
And finally ..... before we left the festivities of the day ... we each received a special QFO calendar .... with all our Quilting Working Bee days noted, as well as lunch 'themes'. This was organised by the very clever Fiona Peterson who, in addition to being Gaynors daughter in law, is also the website manageress for us. Well done Fiona ... now I know why you wanted my pics of the Barn ;)
Gaynor also gifted us each a rose bush that she had grown herself .... talented greenfingers as well as sewing fingers :)
So .... that wraps up 2014 .... and I think that 2015 will see us achieve even more, don't you? Till next year .... have a beautiful, bright and blessed Christmas. And I look forward to sharing more with you in the New Year. See you on February 14th ... our first Working Bee for the New Year :)
Susan
Our contact details are as follow:
Gaynor Peterson ... phone (03)9756 7950
email ... [email protected]
Susan Hamilton .....phone (03)9737 1825
email: [email protected]
Our postal address (for donations) is P.O Box 398 Monbulk Victoria 3793
Check out the following Links:
http://kayleenwest.com.au .... for Art with a positive spirit
http://mellyandme.typepad.com .... creative clothing etc for children
http://mrsmartinsquiltshop.typepad.com/ ...whose customer blessed us with awesome fabric
We also stitch for the following Childrens Homes ....
http://www.butterflych.org/.... for news about the Butterfly Palliative Care hospice in China
And their very own Blog ... which is beautifully written and contains inspirational stories on the children in their care. See the Link below:
http://butterflyhospice.blogspot.com.au/
http://secure.smilebox.com/ecom/openTheBox?sendevent=4d6a59784e7a45314d6a673d0d0a&sb=1
www.freetobekids.org/- .... the rescue organisation that frees children from slavery and exploitation
www.hopefosterhome.com ... the babies we are creating crib quilts for in China ...
www.zoehopeproject.blogspot.com .... giving hope to children in Zambia.
http://english.chinaconcern.org/ ... more children in China that we have stitched for ...
http://www.lolachildrensfund.org/ .... in Ethiopia
http://www.fikelela.org.za/orphan.asp .... the Fikelala AIDS Project in Capetown
http://mifanmama.com/Shining_Star_2.html the Home for vision impaired children in Shanghai
http://www.austchamshanghai.com/about-us/csr/mifan-mama.aspx
And also our latest Project .... for the Holocaust Survivors in Israel.
http://au.icej.org/
Our Projects for 2015:
http://www.thebabesproject.com.au/
http://elishacare.blogspot.com.au/
http://rangescc.wordpress.com/2007/05/11/elisha-care/