Monday, September 19, 2011

Your help is needed

I have a piece that I created a couple of years ago that I made wonky sides on but it never hung correctly and was only shown once at a guild show.  I have now removed the facings, trimmed it straight and refaced it.  All I need to do now is give it a final pressing and then photograph it so I can post it here...promise I will do so very soon.

My topo map arrived for the Grand Canyon piece and I have been fascinated as I study it.  There is so much information contained on these maps.  I have found entries to the north side of the Canyon that I didn't know existed and now hope to get back there before too long to check it out.  But I have been planning this quilt in my head, which is the way I usually do things.  I have such a clear image of what I want to do that it almost feels done....but I guess that really isn't the way it works, is it?

However, I have been busy doing some quilting on community quilts.  One of our members from the Amador Valley Quilters has worked with the women at the Federal Correctional Facility in Pleasanton for a number of years. She brings in fabrics and the women make quilts.  Since they did not purchase the fabric, they can not keep the tops they have made so they donate them to the guild's community quilt project.  This December we anticipate giving away about 900 quilts to various organizations within the community where there is need. So I am just doing a very small part.

But on to more important things.

Two years ago I went with six other members of my church, All Saints Episcopal Church from San Leandro, CA, to Uganda where we spent two weeks, most of which was working physically at a small orphanage which we had been providing some support to over the years. At that time, I made  a plea to people to help support this project and offered 20% off on any of my work and the payment would be made to the church and I would not get any of the money. This then afforded a very nice tax deduction for those who purchased my art work. I was able to raise over $3500 from generous purchases and donations.

When I returned I raised a little bit more and was able to send money to purchase three treadle sewing machines.  They had an instructor to show the kids and staff how to use the machines. I had hoped to be able to follow up with further fund raisers to help them but was not able to for a while.

Which comes to today. All Saints has been trying to work with Sunrise House to become more self-sufficient. Uganda has over 4,000,000 children who have become orphaned as a result of the very serious AIDS epidemic in Africa. Sunrise House has, had various times, had up to ninety children there but now can only afford to help about 25.  They are having serious financial difficulties and need immediately $3000 in order to get the children into school. School costs each student about $50  for a term of 3 months, plus money for their books, paper, pencils and uniforms.

I am again making the offer of 20% off for any of my art work with a check made payable to All Saints Episcopal Church.  If you are interested in making a purchase, please contact me first to confirm availability before sending any money.  Many of my newer works are on my blog and have not been updated on to my website so search here also.

One of the girls after making a craft project together


Our Fr. Rob on the left with boys from the house all ready to do major clean up on a fire destroyed room prior to repairing and repainting.

The cook on the left with one of the kids bringing a load of bananas down to the cook house on the right. Cooking is done over an open wood fire.  On the left are the latrines for the house. In the background is the town of Fort Portal, Uganda.

My thanks to any of your who are able to help support this effort.

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