KasSnippets - September 2015
REPORTS FROM SOUTH AFRICA
NO REPORTS FROM RONDA AT THE MOMENT
Other recent reports :We're on TOP of it!
Message from Ronda and Mandela Day 2015
however, we do have a heart-felt report from Gloria Grandy which outlines some of the issues that are affecting Knit-a-Square's ability to operate effectively and the issues that arise called
THE PRICE OF SUCCESS
When Ronda put out the call for squares, she had no idea how much love would come pouring in from all over the world. In the beginning, it was manageable. She worked from her home, had a few volunteers, and used her own vehicle to make distributions. Things hummed along nicely.
Knit-a-Square grew. It grew because people everywhere wanted to share their time, their talent, and their love to help ease the suffering of the millions of children in South Africa. We have consistently sent our items to Ronda and she has consistently delivered them to the children. Thank you, Ronda!
So much KAS love arrived on Ronda's doorstep that her home could no longer hold the mountains of squares and items that kept arriving. More volunteers were needed. Sometimes they were found, sometimes not, but the flow to the children never stopped. Those who were there just worked harder.
Please click here to read the entire report
KNIT-A-SQUARE FINANCE
USA GROUP INITIATIVE LEAD BY HELEN FLAGG
WRAP A CHILD IN A BLANKET
Helen was concerned to hear that KAS had a backlog of 1600 Blanket Packs waiting to be sewn by the Gogos - due to a lack of funds to pay $1 for each blanket to be stitched! On the USA Group page on September 19th Helen outlined the issues and has set a goal of raising $1600 by 24th October!
Click here for all the details
UPDATE
We were so taken with this brilliant initiative that it was decided to assist so that the burden of raising the funds doesn't just fall on just the USA Group shoulders! On Friday (25th) afternoon the initiative was posted on the Knit-a-Square Facebook page, and, the response has been fabulous and means that KAS is well on the way to ensuring that the backlog of packs can be sent to the Gogos for sewing - in fact Mabel has taken 450 to Evaton!
Thanks also to Linda & Dave Maltby who managed to work out how to install a 'Donate Now' link on the front cover of our Facebook page - this has enabled Facebookers to contribute!
As well as the new Facebook link, we now have both donate and subscribe buttons direct to the South Africa PayPal Account - they are situated just under the NEWS FLASH box on the right-hand column of the forum Main Page.
No doubt Helen will receive the figures from Ronda very soon and will report on the USA Group page how the appeal is going!
Here is the link the the KAS Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/Knitasquare
In addition to the Blanket Pack Appeal, Sharon Fennell has started Crowd Funding Page on the UK Group page to help keep the distributions going
Wendy recently announced that the KAS operating cost of wrapping a child in a blanket to keep warm is 120 Rand (£5.75 or $10).
Sharon has already hit her target of pledges of £200 after two days, but the fund is still open until October 24th.
Link : https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/Kn1t-a-square?utm_id=2
KNIT-A-SQUARE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
for 2013-2014 and 2014-2015
Sharon Fenell and Louise Tidman have gone through the lengthy financial statements and come up with this concise summary. Thanks, Ladies!
We have received a copy of the full annual statement. This is a very large document and too big for KasSnippets, so we have diluted this and provided the key information.
For ease we have reported the information in GB sterling and US dollars. Unfortunately it is clear to say and of no surprise that KAS has been operating on a shoestring budget and in year ending 2014 they ended on a loss of £1214/ $1877. Thank goodness, Ronda stepped in and provided financial support to keep it going.
Operating Expenses 2014/2015
We have batched the key expenses together and there are no concerns on how the money is being spent.
Link to Full Financial Report
KNIT-A-SQUARE DELIVERS !
The Knit-a-Square Van has been motoring along at a steady pace but has now stopped for a well deserved rest.
The South African Post Office is having problems…some times Ronda can pick up the mail and other times she can’t because the office is closed ! Because of this situation, we are asked to postpone mailing our parcels for a while until things become more stable. The Van will surge forward when we are again able to send our parcels.
This is the perfect opportunity for Ronda and the volunteers to work on the backlog of mail. They never seem to have enough time to open all the parcels that arrive from generous people around the world.
To visit the discussion: please click here
To add your squares to the total: please click here
WHAT'S GOING ON IN SOUTH AFRICA?
SORTED IN SOUTH AFRICA
- THE OFFICE
See more pics : here
DISTRIBUTION PHOTOGRAPHS
Not many pics this month as the team still have to unload their cameras, however, there is a lovely batch taken by Mama Ntombi of Knit-a-Square blankets being distributed!
Update on the link that has developed between JAM and Mama Ntombi Community Projects
- a relationship fostered by Knit-a-Square!
MNCP is so grateful for our partnership with JAM who provide us with the nutritious CSS+ porridge for our BREAKFAST CLUB. Jeanette David, the Regional Director recently paid us a visit. We visited Gogo Madonela who takes care of 18 grandchildren. She is so grateful that MNCP has the Breakfast Club. We also visited the second site where we will shortly be starting another Breakfast Club when we will be providing 1450 children with this nutritious porridge every day before they go to school. Thank you JAM!
Link to recent photographs
JAM INTERNATIONAL COMPLETED TWO MAKE-OVER & REBUILD PROJECTS IN SEPTEMBER
JAM Deutschand worked at Inyanda Day Care in Orange Farm. Then JAM Switzerland created a new place at Tiyani
Click here to see these projects and their progress
SPREADING THE WORD,
MEMBERS & GROUP NEWS
ANDREA'S KAS BLOG
I LOVE YARN.......... LET'S CELEBRATE
I Love Yarn Day 2015 is being held on Saturday, October 17. Brought to you by the Craft Yarn Council (CYC), this annual event celebrates yarn. (Personally, I love to “celebrate” yarn at least once a month by squeezing, caressing and/or buying it, but everyone deserves a day!) To commemorate its fifth anniversary, the theme is Stitch It Forward, encouraging everyone to teach a friend, neighbour or family member how to crochet, knit, loom or otherwise have oodles of yarn fun. This is a great chance to pass along your love of stitching to someone you love.
To read the entire blog please click here
THE BLANKET ROOM COLLECTION !
Christine Johnson is offline at the moment - her computer is bust! So I have been posting the pics on her behalf, but am not able to present them in her neat style or numbered! Pam
THEME OF THE MONTH
for September 2015
hosted by Robin Monsees
Below is a selection of the square faces, and, what fun they are! No doubt a child finding one of these sewn in their blanket is going to be absolutely delighted!
Here are some of the PJ's and other squares which will be needed to ensure these wonderful designs stand out!
and here are some of the other goodies!
OCTOBER - Grannies & Garters - Susan Donaldson
NOVEMBER - Oceans/Land/Sky/Space - Valerie Zalewski supported by Linda Maltby
DECEMBER - Year End UFOs, Stash Busters, Plain Janes, Easy Peezies and other Favorites - Susan Haines
TALLY or ITEM COUNT NEWS
by Linda Maltby
The August Squares List is available.
Visit www.knit-a-square.com Click on “Received Squares”
Updated Graphs are available HERE.
August saw 14,991 squares recorded. That’s 428 blanket packs ready to be sewn together by the Gogos.
OCTOBER PATTERN OF THE MONTH
by Linda Maltby
Traditional Granny square- a crochet pattern
The Granny square is described as any square worked in rounds.
This is the Traditional Granny Square pattern.
Granny squares were all the rage in the 1970s ! They continue to be popular with Knit-a-Square as a wonderful way to keep children warm.
Granny squares for the children in South Africa need to be made with a heavy worsted weight/DK yarn to provide an adequate layer of warmth.
Using a smaller hook than the yarn requires, will make a square with a close weave, thus not allowing the cold air to pass through.
Granny squares can be crocheted in a multitude of colours
Or with two or three colours.
The Granny square
is found in the
SQUARE HEART OF THE MONTH AWARD
edited this month by Gloria Grandy
THE SEPTEMBER 2015
SQUARE HEART AWARD
IS FOR
AMY - USA
Amy joined us in February of 2014 and quickly became a welcome and supportive member of our Forum. Her crochet hooks and knitting needles seem to go non stop as she shares her time and talent with the children in South Africa.
Many little ones have been snuggled into the warmth and style of her incredibly beautiful cuddles ...
To read the rest of the award please click here
KAS FACEBOOK PAGE
Knit-a-Square starts them young!
Replies
Thanks Pam you do us proud with your snippets.
Thank you Pam for another great Snippets, informative, colourful and a lovely ending!
Thanks for compiling this report. It is good to keep up with why we do what we do, as well as the effects it is having - and the news on the financial front!
Thank you Pam (and all your behind the scenes helpers).......another informative read. We (KASers) are just sooooo lucky to receive so many pics and info. K-A-S really is a unique community.
Great report Pam!