Thanks to MMMarvelous for turning me onto this idea.
"Mother Bear: Knit a Baby Bear to send to an AIDS orphan in Africa"
Proposal for a joint project between the Grimshaw library and the Grace Bissell United Church.
Over a series of three meetings participants will knit a bear to send to an AIDS orphan in Africa. As well as having the opportunity to learn how to knit participants will also learn more about the AIDS pandemic in Africa.
Participants who already know how to knit will be asked to bring their own materials (three colors of Four-ply acrylic, cotton, or washable wool, size 7 or 4.5mm needles and polyfil) and will also teach those who don't know how to knit. Additonal materials for the non-knitters will be solicited from the members of the Grace Bissell United Church.
The finished bears will be sent to MotherBear Project who will attach a heart with the knitters first name on it and forward the bears to AIDS orphans in Africa. For more information on this organization please see . MotherBear requests a $3 donation per bear to cover shipping costs to Africa. Participants will be asked to make a $5 donation to cover both the shipping costs to MotherBear in the US and then forward to Africa.
My ideas for the educational portion are:
1) Speaker: Christelle from Peace River worked as a nurse in various camps in Africa providing emergency food aid and is willing to share her story.
2) Film: "The Bicycle: Fighting AIDS with Community Medicine" and "Stephen Lewis Foundation PSA - Numbers" both from NFB, or "The Great Granny Revolution" by Rooneyproductions. This film costs between $50 and $150 to show.
3) A short discussion on how our faith calls us to respond to this emergency AND a tutorial on how to use the library resources to find out information on the AIDS crisis particularly using the databases the library has access to.
The library would provide beverages and I would provide snacks.
Proposed timing: Saturday afternoon (1:00 - 3:00) once a month for three months starting in September. Proposed dates: September 8th, October 13th and November 10th
Advertising: The library can include a message in the August utitlity bill. A notice can also be placed in the paper, church bulletins around town and posters can be placed in the library, and other community bulletin boards.
I will get a pattern from MotherBear and make up a sample bear to show participants at the first meeting. I will contact Christelle. Linda would you organize a film, the tutorial and the notice in the utility bill? Rev. Janice would you prepare and present a faith response and send the information to the other churches? I will solicit knitting supplies, make and distribute a poster and put an announcement in the paper.
Thank you all for your help and support in this project. Please let me know what you think and if there is anything that I've missed.
1 comment:
I'm there! Or would be if I lived anywhere closer than Calgary. I could knit a bear and send it to you though.
Mrs. Sweetpeas, this proposal sounds great! How inspiring to have a local present who has worked in Africa. That will make SUCH a difference to people's interest/involvement.
Locating supplies shouldn't be difficult. There are many knitters everywhere with heaps of unused skeins that need to be donated.
I'm so thrilled for you that you're getting this going.
Wuhoo Mrs. Sweetpeas! Kudos to you!!
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