Limey's Orphanage

Limey's orphanage is run by a kindly Russian woman called Mistress Yelena. She lives at the orphange with her baby (nicknamed "Lily Lime"). The orphans simply call Yelena "the mistress."

After the new Limey is cleaned up, she will get her hair done. Limeys get their hair styled by a dear friend of Mistress Yelena's who donates her time twice a month to come and style the orphan's hair. In this photo we see a new arrival getting her hair curled while the older orphans watch.

The first things the new arrival gets is a hot bath and a new outfit. For some orphans, this new outfit is the first one they can be proud of. The orphanage, being funded entirely by private donations and not by taxpayer dollars, is often short on clothes, but are proud to say that the majority of the orphans are properly dressed in Limey style. But the limey dresses and hats have run out, and new arrivals often have to resort to wearing lemon dresses (the next closest thing the orphanage can afford) and going hatless. This often causes head colds in the cold midwest winters.

Also, shoes are a scarce commodity at the orphanage. Orange, red, and brown shoes are used where pink and purple shoes have run out. The mistress is sensitive about the unmatching shoes so it's usually best not to mention it. The orphans are just happy to have shoes at last.

When the typical orphan arrives at Limey's Orphanage, they are dirty, poorly dressed, and even sometimes abused. Here you see an orphan arriving in the dead of winter--notice her ripped, too-large dress and her wild, unkempt hair.

Life at Limey's Orphanage is much more pleasant than most of the orphans have ever experienced, but it isn't all fun and games. The orphans do have time to play with simple, handcrafted toys, as seen in this photo, but they also have lots of work to do to help Mistress Yelena run the orphanage.

Some orphans help Mistress Yelena with the cooking and cleaning...

...while the others take turns watching over Lily Lime, who loves to get into all sorts of mischief.

At night the orphans get some well-deserved rest. The attic has room for four orphans, while others make their beds on the sofas. With the full capactiy, the orphans often sleep in different places each night!

Currently, Limey's Orphanage has 12 older Limes, 1 1991 Lime, 4 Parfaits, and 3 Lime minis. Some of the Limeys have lived hard lives before the orphanage--the Lime on the right, whose feet are encased in some strange white box, is forced to live day after day in the mysterious contraption. And the Limey seated on her right was viciously attacked by a dog (or small child) and has severe scarring on her limbs; she cannot stand on her own. They are two examples of orphans who have been saved by Limey's Orphanage.

Return to Limey's Orphanage Home Page

Although the orphanage is almost filled to capacity, Mistress Yelena will never turn an orphan away. So if you have a Limey who needs a home, or even have clothes, hats, or shoes for these darling girls, contact the president of the board of directors here. Above all, the orphans of Limey's orphanage would like to thank its supporters for all they do! The smiles on those faces say it all!