There have been numerous distributions this month and you can find all the photos in one discussion. Please see the precious smiling faces, wonderful volunteers and so much more in this discussion.
We have work with MNCP and Angel's Care to make distributions to children that are located quite a distance from The Barn. Tanja Komen, Amanada Knight, Vivienne, Wanda, Athele and Estelle have made distributions this month, too. The KAS packages are flying out the door.
JUNE THEME - HEARTS AND FLOWERS
Patricia has taken us on a journey of love and blooms this month, and our contributors have embraced the challenge in creating unbelievable items for KAS. Please visit this discussion and be inspired.
http://www.forum.knit-a-square.com/forum/topics/june-2021-theme-hearts-flowers
COM - LILAC
The pattern for this knitted square can be found in the
https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/8365918079?profile=original
It is a perfect square for this month's theme.
The April-May Squares List is available.
Monthly totals:
The parcels received in April are included in the May Totals.
During April-May we recorded 366 parcels containing 21.205 squares, equal to 650 blankets.
Many other items were received, such as hats, hand-warmers, go-overs, cuddly toys and other goodies.
Please note: If you recently or a couple of months ago, have sent a parcel, it will arrive. However, because of Covid-19 the worldwide postal system is not yet working as it should be, so don't worry that your parcel will have gone astray. In the past it sometimes has taken months before parcels arrived and it seldom happens in 10 years that parcels went missing.
Please keep on making squares, handwarmers, hats and toys for our vulnerable children. Winter is coming and it will be bitterly cold during the nights.
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~~~~~~ A HEARTFELT THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS ~~~~~~
You will find our April-May 2021 Squares List
FROM THE KAS WEBSITE
Who are we to make a difference?
Knit-a-square is a much loved, world-wide community of compassionate crafters who address this massive humanitarian crisis, one square at a time. One hat or cuddly toy at a time. One beautiful, hand-made blanket at a time.
Every time a compassionate crafter makes a loop to cast on, or start to crochet, or loom, they are thinking about these children. They are directing their focus toward this issue. When they pack and post their squares and hats, they send them with love and hope for the children’s future.
When the parcels arrive in South Africa, they are opened, sorted and bundled with gratitude and joy. When the grandmothers sew the squares together to make beautiful blankets, their role in caring for the children is acknowledged.
When the volunteers search the informal settlements for small crèches (daycare centers) where these small children are cared for during the day, they carry with them the knowledge that a worldwide community cares.
When they wrap the children in the warmth of your work – your blankets, hats and hand-warmers – and place a handmade toy in their arms, they do it on behalf of you, and with your love.
The children are told they’re unique and special,
and they have a future.
Our KAS Barn has been a beehive of activity with parcel and blankets coming in to be sorted and packed. Then the blankets are assembled and head out the door for the many distributions going on in South Africa. See our volunteers and your contributions HERE in our Barn Discussion.
Looking for ways to support KAS without mailing squares, beanies, hand-warmers or soft cuddly toys? You can support KAS through the KAS Shop. For July we will be focusing on, Keep The Motor Running. This is for petrol for our KAS Van. The van does Post Office runs, picking up volunteers, and making distributions. Let's Keep The Motor Running on our KAS van.
Here is the link:
https://www.knit-a-square-southafrica.com/store/p10/Get_the_Motor_Running%21.html
You guys knocked it out of the park! A total of $1,008.16 was donated through the Shop during the month of May. On behalf of Ronda and her team, thank you so much for your generosity, spirit and perseverance.
We now have a discussion for all of the Leanne's Podcast with KAS information for Season 2. You can find the discussion here: http://www.forum.knit-a-square.com/forum/topics/kas-podcast-season-2
Notes about each Podcast are listed in this discussion.
Highlights from our June Podcasts...
Episode 9 Notes: Kindness In Action
Knit-a-Square is an amazing community of caring people, brought together by our shared commitment to keep South Africa’s vulnerable and orphaned children warm. This episode of the podcast celebrates our connections at every level.
Susanne Leverton was raised by her mother to think of others and spent her working life serving in the arid region of Central Australia as a remote nurse among indigenous people. Now in retirement, she lives on the coast and enjoys knitting picture squares and crocheting blankets to send off in the mail to the barn. We hear her story and the motivation behind her work in this episode.
Episode 10 Notes: Blanket To Keep Out The Winter Chill
The term “informal settlement” is frequently used in describing where our vulnerable children live but the actual location, history and conditions relating to such settlements seldom get discussed in our reports. This episode goes a little deeper into the challenges our children face, both physical and developmental.
Georgie Purdon from the Angels Care Centre in Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, chats to Leanne about a recent distribution of Knit-a-Square blankets to children under 5 years old. Together with beanies, hand warmers and toys, the blankets brought them delight and warmth ahead of a particularly icy snap.
JULY THEME
COLOR OF THE MONTH - JULY
JULY NEWS FOR SOUTH AFRICA
Nelson Mandela Month 2021- 1 to 31 July
In July, South Africa celebrates former President Nelson Mandela's birthday. 18 July has been declared Nelson Mandela International Day, but as South Africans we embrace the chance to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s life for the whole of July. This gives everyone the opportunity to heed the call to action for people to recognise their individual power to make an imprint and change the world around them.
A global movement for positive change begins with small actions. As each person acts, they fuel momentum toward positive change, raising awareness and expanding the reach of Mr. Mandela’s values – fighting injustice, helping people in need and practicing reconciliation.
July 18 Mandela Day
July 23-August 8 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan
To date, June 27, 2021 less than 2% of the population of South Africa is fully vaccinated with the COVID Vaccine.
FROM THE ARCHIVES - 2017
Replies
Another very informative Snips. Thank you Amy.
Merci Amy pour toutes ces précieuses informations cela donne encore plus de sens à notre bénévolat et l'envie de tricoter toujours plus : même si le peu que l'on fait semble une goutte d'eau dans cet océan de misères les gouttes d'eau unies les unes aux autres finissent par faire des grandes rivières et tous ces belles et chaudes couvertures c'est de l'Amour envoyé à ces enfants avec des souhaits de bonheur. Sans nous connaitre, tricoteuses et crocheteuses du monde entier nous sommes unies les unes aux autres par nos intentions et nos ouvrages.
Merci à KAS de rendre cela possible en concrétisant ce beau rêve.
Merci Mireille pour votre commentaire et support. Votre récente contribution s'envolera bientôt pour l'Afrique du Sud.
For non-French speakers here's a rapid translation:
Thank you Amy for all this precious information which gives all its sense to our efforts and encourages us to knit even more: even though the little we do seems like a drop in this ocean of distress and poverty, every drop joins the others on the way to becoming ever rowing rivers and all the warm and colourful blankets represent the Love and happiness we wish for these children. Without even knowing each other, we are, knitters and crocheters from all around the world, joined in our desire to help with our creations. Thank you KAS for making this possible, making our dream become reality.
Valerie, thank you for this translation. It is so poignant, especially for the month of July as the theme is Around the World.
Please than Mireille for these kind words, she has summed up KAS's mission and purpose so well.
I hope it is okay to share in other discussions and on FB.... Please let me know.
Amy, you have put together a fabulous edition of KAS Snippets. It's a fun and informative read and I thank you sincerely for all the work you put into pulling everything together. Well done!
Just look at that KAS Shop total for May. Incredible!!!
What a lovely reminder "From the KAS Website" that every stitch counts :)
And I especially like your last little 'yuk-yuk'. That would be me - for sure!!! hahaha ... xo
Thank you, Amy, a wonderful edition of the Snippets.
So much up-to-date information Amy - Thank You ❤️
Super informative Snippets thanks Amy. Once again you have covered our wonderful KAS family.