KAS HAS A NEW HOME !
I am so excited that I do not even know where to begin – at the very beginning, I guess?!
Wendy (what WOULD we do without her ?) has been mulling over an idea to approach commercial property owners and find out whether KAS might be able to move into office space which has been standing empty … at no cost. Given the large number of new commercial buildings springing up everywhere, empty spaces are increasingly evident and we could simply agree that, should the owner find new, paying tenants, we would move out and look for the next empty space! In turn, we would offer owners our assurance to “look after” their premises and bring them a warm, lived-in (KAS) feeling! Wendy had a list of people we could approach with this idea and it did not take her long to find a very generous donor.
And all our hopes have been realised … KAS now has more space than I could ever have imagined and I am pinching myself, very often, just to make sure it is not a dream. First we received the KASvan and now our very own KAS “knit-ural” environment (a contributor used this description and I love it!). God is SO good and we thank Him for answering our prayers and providing for our needs in this way, through the generosity of others.
Our new home is housed in a beautiful, secured office park not far from my house and very close to the Bryanston Post Office, which is, as you know, where all our KAS mail is received. Not only do we have an entire wing of the building but it has been newly renovated and boasts new carpets, new wallpaper and lovely blinds! (I am just pinching myself again!!!). In yet another moment of inspiration, Wendy approached a company by the name of Supercare, housed in the same office park, to allow us to use furniture which was being stored by them in the basement. I wish you could all come and visit us now … we have enough space (!) with a MASSIVE sorting area, furnished with chairs and tables which are set out in the central , open-plan area … onto which open ELEVEN smaller offices, which means that every KAS item has its own space!! So, we now have a beanie office, a top’s office, the socks and jock’s spot, a baby item room, a stationery office, a blanket office and so on!!
The big move took place on Thursday, 11 July – so you will forgive me for not posting my report that day. We loaded several cars full to the brim and I subsequently made several trips with the KASvan to transfer everything across. The volunteers were amazing … they helped to move the bulk of everything over from the house on Thursday and still managed to open 90% of the mail too. Wendy and I returned to the new premises on Friday to move and sort out a few more items and pretty soon we will have each room perfectly organised, which sends Wendy into fits of excitement as she LOVES order and having everything just right – traits which I treasure in her, as I tend to be forgetful and somewhat disorganised! I must admit to having suffered a tinge of separation anxiety as everything KAS was being carried out of my home, but I know this is real progress and the best possible scenario for me and for my family … I have already invited my daughter to visit with the children from Cape Town!!! During Thursday I texted Peter a photograph of one emptied bedroom and he did not recognise it … it’s been a while since he has seen it KAS-free!!!
The move has taken up a large part of our week, but we still managed to start packing up for a large distribution in Port Alfred - collection arranged once more by Fawn and Davina in Port Elizabeth. We also packed up tops, blankets and beanies to send to Youth Pastor Abey of Cummins Diesel, via Lorraine, for a distribution in Vosloorus - a massive informal settlement south of Johannesburg.
We had hardly begun to settle in when our first, most welcome, visitors arrived at the new premises on Thursday! A lovely group of ladies they were, who travelled from the Vanderbijlpark branch of a company called IEMAS to drop off 2000 truly beautiful squares as their contribution in honour of Mandela Day. Have a look at the magnificent contribution from them – we were thrilled!
Speaking of Mandela Day, KAS will be involved in three different projects on Mandela Day, Thursday, 18 July. We know that you have all been furiously making Mandela Day Challenge squares this month and we hope that you, too, have something planned for Madiba’s birthday. This is a wonderful way to show a great man the respect and love he deserves. We have registered the KAS initiative on the official Mandela Day site and will let you know as soon as it appears.
We have so much to prepare for this week and still plenty of sorting to do in our new home. So, I am going to leave you, as always, with some photos, but this time indulge me in my show and tell session as I introduce our fantastic, new KAShome … and while you browse, remember that without YOU none of this would be possible, so we thank you again and again, with love !
Look at all this space! I know just how to fill it......
Let the move begin!
So much space to work in - you should see our blanket designing skills now!
WOW - there was a bed in this room at home? (This room is now empty and ready for guests!)
We moved and managed to open 90% of last week's mail - what stars our volunteers are.
The blanket bundling room......
Even the mail has its own office now, in fact each KAS item does - a dream come true!
So, as you can see, we still have a great deal of sorting to do, but watch this space, we will post photos of the new, incredibly organised KAS premises.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by P. Jeanne Haessler on
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This is positively the best thing I have read all day! What a great way to start the day with such a news filled, uplifting and thrilling report from our always loving Ronda. Girl, you all deserve this so much. This is an answer to my prayers for sure. I didn't know God would provide you with a new van, that one kinda sneaked up on me but I am SO thrilled about all of this. Way to go to everyone involved and the thought of getting someone hired is awesome too. Thank you so much for this lovely narrative of how it all went. What a great way to start the week off, reading this. I am touched to happy tears!
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Permalink Reply by Anne Powell on
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So much to be thankful for today! For Wendy and her dogged determination, her great ideas and inspiration, , for a landlord who was so generous to give you the space, for Supercare and the loan of furniture, for many hands to help you make the move and for Peter who has been patient for so long in a house full of squares.
I am having a bit of a giggle, Ronda. I have this vision of the volunteers all gathered at the big tables, and someone needing to ask you a question, calling your name, and from the distance hearing you call back "Be right there. I'm just in the socks and jocks room" Lovely!
We are all looking forward to hearing about your Mandela Day. For our part, we on the forum are having a "Challenge in a Challenge" and we have asked for as many as are able, to spend "67 Minutes" on a square that day, to post a photo of it in the discussion, and mention their country. I hope we have a deluge - and of course it doesn't matter if the square is made exactly on that day. It's just our way of saying "Thank you Madiba, for all you have done" and join in with all the others around the world who are also giving 67 minutes of service that day.
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Permalink Reply by Ronda Helen Lowrie on
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Hello dear Anne, and ALL who have posted such lovely, encouraging and happy messages ! It feels as though we have been in that office suite for months already, we are SO comfortable ... and Anne your giggle is not unfounded, because that COULD happen in all that space, added to which my CD player twinkles out gospel music over the proceedings, also !!
Thank you to each and every one of you - all your efforts, prayers, contributions, thoughts, generosity and specially your love for the children has formed the great wave on which we have surfed into this new era of Knit-a-Square, and we bless you as we praise God for His provision for ALL our needs, always !!!
BIG HUGS xoxoxoxoxo
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Permalink Reply by Cherry Ames on
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Fantastic Ronda!! By the way, everyone, since KAS has a baby items room, does that mean they take completed baby blankets? I am working on a baby blanket but not sure where I'm sending it yet.
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Cherry - our main focus is on older children - 3 to 10 - but do send your baby blanket if you would like to. Ronda will make sure it gets to a place where it will be needed.
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Hello dear Cherry ... please all continue sending to Private Bag X900 Bryanston, 2021 ... the post office is much closer to us now that we are in the office park, which is wonderful. Baby blankets are always welcome, along with all the other items ... there is always a chance of customs tariffs being raised on completed (saleable ?) items but we do, happily, receive many of those without any problems at all ! Thank you again and again xoxox
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Permalink Reply by Maureen (Maudie) Anne Bryan on
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Thank you. Just fantastic to see the space and the first use of it. :)
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Permalink Reply by Sharon B on
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WOWZA! Such creative thinking resulting in wonderful things. So much hard work done so quickly. I am in awe. Must go grab the hook or needles and get working on my "67 minutes" squares for Mandela Day.
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Permalink Reply by Kathy Platts on
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Wow - this is all so exciting! It's exactly what was needed - so much space for us to fill! I enjoyed reading this so much, thank you for taking time to do this Ronda when you are so busy. I have a mental image of you unlocking the door for the first time and running around it with such happiness and excitement - huge well done to you allx
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And that's more or less exactly what did happen, Kathy ... you were there in spirit !!!!
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Permalink Reply by Helen M. Flagg on
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Would love to have been there to see you do your happy-dance, Ronda!!! LOL
I am just basking in the happy entries above and the happy pictures as the new digs are opened to you and take shape to be just what KAS needs. Love to all the SA team!!!
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And our special love to you, dear Helen xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
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