SQUARE HEART AWARD

Edited by Gloria Grandy

The Square Heart Award for January 2015 is for

Our Team of Volunteers in

South Africa

It will soon be seven years ago (yes! just seven!) that a plea went out to the world for squares to be sent to South Africa where they would be made into blankets.

That call was answered in spades.  Squares were sent from every corner of the world.  We sent them … you sent them … they sent them … dozens of them ... hundreds of them … thousands of them! 

We sent squares, beanies, go-overs, vests, handwarmers, and toys.  Whew!  We did it!  And we’re still doing it!

This terrific idea started out in  Ronda's home (photo 1).  When it grew too large and more space was needed, the whole operation was moved to donated offices (photo 2).  Sadly, this did not last.  This space had to be vacated and KAS returned to Ronda's garage (photo 3). This story has a happy ending.  Space has been rented (photo 4) and KAS, it would seem, has never missed a beat.  We are still humming right along.

So what happens once we leave the Post Office?  We go back home and knit and crochet some more because we know … absolutely ... without a doubt … that everything we send will be picked up,  loaded, unloaded, unpacked, sorted, fixed, photographed, stitched together,  re-packed, re-loaded, transported, unloaded, unpacked, and distributed to the intended young recipients.

Believe it or not, this doesn't happen by magic!

We are even given photographs of the different stages our work goes through from being received ...

... to being distributed!

So who, exactly, is responsible for all this "behind-the-scenes" (for us) work?  There is a very dedicated and hard-working team in South Africa that makes sure all goes as planned so that we - and most importantly, the children - won't be disappointed.

Ronda ... co-founder of Knit-a-Square ... our guiding hand and our inspiration!

This is what a KASangel looks like :)

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Wandi, Lindiand Oti have been with KAS from day one.  There is very little, if anything, happening at KAS that these ladies aren't involved in ... from opening packages to  seeking out the children most in need to make sure that our efforts are put to the best use!

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Wendy ... has been described as “amazing”.  With her organizational, computer, and administrative skills she maintains order from beginning to end.

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Gina and Isabella - Gina assists in office organization and maintains our monthly squares lists.  She and her daughter Isabella endevour to send notes of thanks to everyone who sends squares.

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Molly ... our star "blanketiser"  She works her special Molly Magic on oversize, undersize, rectangles or whatever so that nothing received by KAS ever goes to waste!

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Yvette ... unpicks the mis-shapes and turns that wool into beautiful blankets.

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Gogos ... It is women like these who make it possible for Knit-a-Square South Africa to turn squares into blankets and warm hundreds of children.

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David ... keeps the KASvan sparkling.

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From time to time, there are countless others who volunteer an hour here or a day there.

We, the crafters from around the world, would like to say

THANK YOU!

to each and every person ... those of you who are there every week ... and everyone who shares their time to help at any stage of the process of receiving, organizing and distributing our items to the children in South Africa.

Below is the link to Anne Powell's Pinterest pages.  Here you will find  a fabulous array of photos that keep us aware of the tremendous amount of work these wonderful people do.

http://www.pinterest.com/warmkids/

 

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Replies

  • Congratulations to all of you!!!

  • Thank you Gloria. It's a bit late but it's been a very busy start to 2015.
    • You are so welcome, Estelle! The team at your end do an amazing job of pulling everything together and you are so-o-o-o appreciated! xo

  • So richly deserved...you've given US a chance to make a concrete difference in this world for which we will ever be grateful!  Thank you so much!

    (tweeted and shared on Facebook, only took moments)

  • THANK YOU TEAM RONDA!!! KEEP GOING! :}

  • Thank you, and love, to each and every one of you who work so hard to warm the children.  KAS is a miracle, thanks to each of you!

  • I can only echo all this praise.... well-deserved, hard-earned.

    It is a privilege to be a part of this loving, giving, encouraging, nurturing community.

    • Thank you ! We are, because of you - ubuntu in progress. Long may KAS continue to make a difference.
  • From the whole SA team - thank you!  We love what we do and wouldn't be able to do it all without your generous contributions, so from all of us to you - A BIG THANK YOU.  I will print this discussion out so that those volunteers who do not have access to the internet can read this too.  

  • CONGRATULATIONS to all!  Well deserved to a fantastic team!

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