| CL Charity Challenge with Maria by Maria Lits |
| The New Year is upon us, 2006 Did you make a resolution? Did you promise to reduce your stash? Did you promise to try new patterns? Did you promise to work at your craft? Did you promise to help out others? If you answered yes to any of these questions than you need to participate in the 2006 CL CAT Charity Challenge Season to help keep your resolutions. The Charity Season runs for 10 months January - October. You can be a novice or you can be a designer, makes no difference to those in need, the only thing that is noticed when an item is received, is the love that is put into each and every stitch. If you are wondering what a Charity Challenge is let me explain a bit, each month one or two charities are sponsored and Crochetlist members have an opportunity to pledge and crochet items for it. The great thing is you can pledge 1 item and it will make a difference in the life of "1" baby, child, person or pet. No pledge is too small and no pledge is too great. It is a wonderful way to use your talents to help others and if that is not incentive enough, you might win a prize. For each item you pledge and send to the Charity Sponsor, you have a chance to win (as long as you are a member of CL in good standing) a special CAT Charity Challenge Prize (1 chance per item you send in). The Prize PAC is given by the Sponsor so on the months where there are two charities, there are two Prize PACs to be won. Remember what they say "you have to be in it to win it". The one thing I noticed during the 2005 season was that once a crochetlist member pledged once they were "hooked" they had to find out what was the next charity, they had to see what they could do to help. In fact we have had some crochetlist members who get a jump start and are always a month or two ahead of the challenges with their items all ready to mail. So does it sound good to you? Do you want to participate? Do you want to know what Charities are being sponsored each month? Do you want to know what items are needed? Do you feel the itch to pick up a hook, some yarn and create? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions then here is the 2006 Charity Challenge Schedule, so you may want to get a jump on it. Oh and remember to look for emails to Crochetlist announcing the challenges on the first of each month so you can fill in a pledge sheet. January 20th & 21st 1) Webster-Cantrell Hall being sponsored by Amy Still in need of scarves, gloves, dishclothes and potholders. 2) Steven's Comfy Toes being sponsored by Linda Bohm in need of slippers to children ages birth to 12 years. February 17th & 18th 1) Alphacare Pregnancy Center being sponsored by Anne Fatato in need of baby layette items from 0-3 months, bottles, pacifiers, bibs and baby wipes. 2) Stitches From the Heart being sponsored by Alexandra Lundgren any baby items, preemie or full term. March 17th & 18th 1) Heartmade Blessings being sponsored by Crochetlist HMB Members items in need are 12 inch crocheted squares. April 16th & 17th 1) CARE Package, Inc. being sponsored by Melanie A. Odette items needed are bereavement baby items to go to parents who have lost a baby (see schedule) 2) Shower for Life - unwed Mom's being sponsered by Maria Lits items needed are anything for a new mom starting out alone with a new baby. May 19th & 20th 1) Project Linus being sponsored by Dorothy Silver items needed are Preemie/Stillborn: 60cm x 60cm (24 x 24 inches) Baby: 90cm x 90cm (36 x 36 inches) Child: 100cm x 150cm (40 x 60 inches) Teen: 115cm x 180cm (45 x 73 inches). 2) Blankets for Canada Society Inc., being sponsored by Janette Atwell items needed are 8 inch crocheted and/or knitted squares. June 16th & 17th 1) Helping Katrina Victims in LA being sponsored by Janet Stuckey in need of dishclothes, kitchen towels, hot pads, pot holders, scrubbies plus other household items. July 21st & 22nd 1) Hands on Help being sponsored by Karen Mayo, items needed Lightweight and heavier sweaters, with or without hoods, caps, mittens, blankets, afghans, year round clothing articles, baby toys, feeding equipment, anything a normal baby will need for his/her first three-four years of life. 2) Love Afghans for Pine Ridge Reservation being sponsored by Pam Wingard items needed are crocheted, knitted or loomed squares, WW yarn or wool any size, 6 inch and 12 inch are best. August 18th & 19th 1) Izzy's Toy Chest being sponsored by Isabel Pfister (aka IzzyB) items needed are toys, crocheted or otherwise, books, games, crayons, etc. Things that they think a young person would like. These should be things that the children can take home with them after their stay in the hospital. 2) AAmerican Animal Shelter being sponsored by Theresa Gilmer in need of pet blankets (crocheted or otherwise) and/or toys, bones and any other toys for the dogs and cats. September 16th & 17th 1) FAFLC - Foster/Adoptive Families of Larimer County being sponsored by Connie Hoffman in need of Crocheted or knitted, Squares 6 or 12 inches, whole small afghans (no bigger than 36 x 36"). October 20th & 21st 1) Breast Cancer Awarness - Susan G. Koman Foundation beign sponsored by Neva Lyons in need of Chemo Caps, port covers, items to keep busy during therapy. The great thing about the 2006 Charities are that they are on going and even though there is a deadline to be in the drawing for the prize Pac for the month, the charities will continue to accept your items and put them to good use long passed the deadline. You can also access a list of the Challenges for 2006 in the database at CL on Yahoo make sure you scroll across the database table because some months there are two charities. CL Charity Challenge Database (click the link above for the database) Here you will be able to see the deadlines and a more extensive list of items needed and the snail mail addresses for the sponsors. Are you still sitting here reading? Stop, go, search the web, find a pattern, grab a hook, and some yarn and start creating for charity. If you have any questions and/or converns, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected] and I will try my best to answer your Charity Challenge questions. May all your days be yarn filled days, Maria - NYC A Crochetlist Moderator An Assembler for HMB |