2014 Is Fast Coming To An End

It is true, 2014 is quickly coming to an end. Where has the time flew off to?

I want to let you know that this year has been filled with miracles and I am so thankful to each and everyone of you that helped make those miracles.

I am one person who struggles daily with chronic pain issues and yet, try my best to keep this ministry up and going and if it wasn't for you, I couldn't do this at all!

This year, we have delivered over 400 quilts, spent $$$$ on postage, (I haven't tallied up that cost yet for the year), send sympathy cards to law enforcement and dispatch agencies, met hundreds of wonderful quilters, taken 5 trips to deliver quilts to Oso and eastern Washington and it is all because of your generosity!

The holidays are here, everyone is trying to reach into your pockets, you are getting lots of things in the mail asking for you to donate and sadly, I am as well.

I have sitting by my front door, 7 boxes that need to be sent out in the next week or 2 which means I will be digging deep into my budget to come up with around $85 to get them out to the dispatchers in need and I can't do this on my own.

Sadly, for me, 4 of those boxes were adopted and the person never sent the money for postage as promised and I cannot just say, 'forget it, I won't send them.'

I did have 8, however 1 was adopted and that helped lighten the burden.

I know many of you donated amazing quilts and postage costs earlier this year and I get that. However, if you have not had the time to donate to Layers of Hope - Quilting 911, can you consider now is the time?

Perhaps you are a dispatcher or in law enforcement or emergency services, can you take up a small collection at your agency for postage costs? How about a change collection and when the jar is full, send us the proceeds? Putting your coffee money aside for just 7 days will pay for shipping for one box to be delivered.

Asking for money does not come easily to me. Matter of fact is the one part of this ministry I dislike the most. However, if we are going to survive, I need your help.  

If you can't donate this year, then maybe next will be better.  If you can't donate you can share our need on your blog, with other friends and quilters and those you come into contact with.

Please, this time of the year is hard on many of us, won't you help bless those unseen heroes who are suffering more than we are at this time with cancer, the loss of their homes, etc.?

Blessings and thank you!

Update for Okanogan County

We have a need for 31 quilts for Okanogan County Sheriff's Deputies who worked the Carlton Complex Fires this summer.  Whew, that is alot less than the original 478 I was given.

I will not be taking a trip back up that way until at least after the holidays and probably closer to March as the passes around here can get ugly.

So, you can give a sigh of relief, but I will need quilts after spring!

Quilt Delivery Day 2014 Okanogan County

Yesterday morning at 0600 I pulled up in front of a 911 Dispatchers home that I had never met and for the next 641 miles and 18 hours, we traveled to the eastern part of Washington and talked and laughed, shared two meals and met some pretty incredible people.

The following pictures are part of our journey, taken to deliver the many quilts I have received for 911 dispatchers, fire fighters and police officers and deputies that worked so very hard during the eastern WA wildfires.

I cannot describe what I saw yesterday, the emotions I felt at seeing my beautiful home state so black and burned and in the midst of the charring, green and lush new growth and growth that wasn't changed at all.  How can I describe seeing trees that one part was charred and the other part was lush and green?

My heart goes out to all of you who have blessed this ministry with quilts so we could pass them along to those very small community officers, dispatchers and fire fighters that were there. Thank you all your continued support is a blessing that matters to those who receive!

WINTHROP MARSHAL & ME

Winthrop Marshal and Trish a very active 911 Operator who lives close to me! My life saving driver!

She was touched by the tag on the back of this one and chose it for her own!

Leavenworth, WA...so cold and yet so pretty!

Getting out for a short walk helps me keep moving!

Quilts Delivered to Brewster, PD these 2 officers said they lost much in the fires!

These Two Beauties are Heading To Okanogan County Tomorrow

These two amazing quilts from Sue Brown who is an amazing and most generous quilter and supporter of Layers Of Hope - Quilting 911 and yes, they are heading to eastern Washington tomorrow morning bright and early.

Sue has an awesome blog called From the Magpie's Nest head over and check out the beautiful quilts she makes and let her know you came via this blog.

You will be pleasantly welcomed and feel at home on Sues blog!

Heading to Okanogan County...Any Quilters In This Area?

I have been in contact this morning with many of the agencies in the area that have first responders and I have numbers of those in each we need quilts for.

I have never been to the east side of the state since living here so heading over the mountain pass to see another side of the country will be a bit exciting.

I know I have quilters in WA state, if you live in the area we will be traveling through or close enough we can detour, I would love to meet you and if you know of any quilt shops that I can drop fliers and brochures off at, send me the names and addresses.

It is very important for me to reach out in these areas and let people know what we are all about!

Blessings!

Cards and A Quilt for Maryland Dispatcher

Jessica Larson had to leave work earlier this year due to complications from her Lyme Disease
diagnosis. A GoFundMe account has been started to support Jessica’s medical expenses as most of them are not covered by insurance. If you are interested in making a contribution please clink the link below. Even the smallest amount can make the biggest difference!
This campaign is raising money for "Lyme Borreliosis Complex"

Kara Selvage
Public Safety Dispatcher III - POLICE PATROL
Department of Emergency Operations
2220 Ady Road
Forest Hill, MD 21050

If you can help do so, but please send her a card of warm thoughts and prayers and if you can send her a quilt, please let me know ASAP!!

Southern California Dispatcher In Need

We would like to take a moment to introduce a friend who has been a corner stone in our center.  Vicki Patterson, who has previously fought breast cancer, now has been diagnosed with brain cancer. Vic continued to work during her treatments in the past, but now has decided to spend time with her friends and family.  Vic is an amazing person to work with and learn from.  Since she has worked here at the Southern CA Geographical Coordination Center (FS/DOI & CAL FIRE), dispatchers from all over California and neighboring states have benefited from her wonderful attitude and desire to teach and help others. She has staffed our expanded dispatch and our aircraft desk, as well as working in these positions on assignments across the nation. Vic has also been involved in teaching classes for expanded and ROSS at the Regional level.  She is an amazing person and friend to everyone she meets.
Vic is a person who always has time for others, and we are asking for prayers and well wishes for her as she fights her most recent battle. 
You can also send cards and well wishes to:

Vic Patterson ICO: South Ops OCC
2524 Mulberry Street
Riverside, CA 92501

**Please let me know if you can bless this wonderful lady with a quilt. DO NOT send it to me, but let me know you are sending her one to her. It is costly for you to mail it to me only for me to mail it back to her.**

HOWEVER, I have to keep track of who receives a quilt and would appreciate you remembering it has to have Layers of Hope - Quilting 911 on it along with your name.  I also would appreciate a tracking number to know it was sent!

Oklahoma Dispatcher Lost All In Fire...Please Let Me Know If You Can Help

Miles Lewis is a dispatcher at the Oklahoma City PSAP.   He lives with his mom and his 2 sons. Miles III is 10 and Mylin is 8. Miles’ mother is Karolyn and she is 61. 
Miles was working yesterday and shortly after noon he was notified that his mother’s house was a total loss from a fire.  Miles’ mother has lived at the residence for 29 years.  Miles, his two sons, and his mother have lost everything, including his mother’s dog who died in the fire. 
I would like to request assistance for Miles and his family. We are requesting gift cards to aid in purchasing new clothes, shoes, and personal items. Sizes are listed below for donations of reasonably new, gently used clothes and household items.
Items can be sent directly to the Oklahoma City 9-1-1 Center:

Oklahoma City 9-1-1
C/O David Shupe, Director(br>715 Robert S. Kerr
Oklahoma City, OK 73102

If you prefer to make clothing donation:

• Karolyn:               X Large Shirt, 18 pant and dress
• Miles:                   3X Shirt, 44 pants, and 12 shoe
• Miles III:               Large Shirt, 14-16 pants, large boxer briefs, 7 shoe
• Mylin:                   Large Shirt, 12 pant, large boxer briefs, 5.5 shoe

 Please during this difficult time, can we get some quilts out to this family immediately? Let me know if you can, so I can take them off my list. 

If you can only send 1 that is fine, but let me know as I must be able to keep track of who is receiving quilts!
 

Traveling to Okanogan County Friday with Quilts

Calling all quilters in the areas of the Carlton Complex Fire area which includes Twisp, Pateros, Okanogan, Wintrop, Carlton, Alta Lake, Malott and Brewster.

 

 I am heading your way on Friday morning (pray the passes are not snow covered). I am delivering the first batch of quilts to those 911 dispatchers and first responders from Okanogan County and sadly I will only have about 70 with me as well as some baby blankets and knit caps that I am praying 3 Rivers Hospital will take as gifts.

 

 If you know anyone in these areas that lost their home and needs a quilt or you have contacts in the sheriff's office or fire departments, please contact me ASAP. 

 

Also, if you live along the route between Olympia and Okanogan and have quilts to donate to us, I am willing to stop and pick them up on my way if you can meet close to our travels. 

 

 If you know of local quilt shops in the area in which we can drop off a flyer and brochure please let me know that as well. Depending on time and how far off the main road Ellensburg is, I may be stopping in Ellensburg or Leavenworth as well.

 

I know I have Washington quilters so if you need to contact me for a pick up Friday and you are on the way there, please let me know!

A Quilt and A Very Special Thank You

I just finished this quilt about 10 minutes ago. Tomorrow I will pack it up and get it shipped out.  For now, all quilts are completed and caught up on so I can now begin the arduous task of getting another 400 quilts in to take to eastern Washington.   I leave next Friday with a load of around 65.

This quilt is for a dispatcher in Illinois that was in a hit and run motorcycle accident. I hope it brings him warmth and comfort.

I do not know if any of you caught the short blurb in the October issue of Women's Day magazine about our quilting? It was pretty short and didn't really convey what we do, but it got our name out there.

Today, I received the following note that was forwarded to me by the editor of Woman's Day and I thought I would share the heart of a dispatcher:

'I was reading the October issue of woman's day and on page 12 came across something I found super cool. Jean Kester from Rochester, WA wrote that she makes quilts for 911 dispatchers to ensure that these unseen heroes are never forgotten. That nearly brought a tear to my eye as I've been a dispatcher for 16 years and many people don't ever acknowledge that we exist. If you have the means to send a thank you to Jean from me that would be fantastic. Although I've never received oneof her lovely quilts, I appreciate her efforts to never forget us.'

 

Thanks,

Anisha, Roseville, Ca

 

So you see, WE do make a difference even in the lives of someone who has never received a quilt from our organization!  The thanks go out to all of you!

 

Urgent Need, Please Help Us Get These Out

So last evening we packed up and counted 53 large quilts for Okanogan county and I was pretty sure I had at least 100.  However, today in going through them I find I am short by quite a few as most of the quilts I had in stock were all infant and baby quilts.

Please, please, if you have any large quilts you would like to donate to the people of the Carlton Fire and Methow Valley Fire let me know.

I am leaving on November 14th to head up that way and would love to have at least 100 quilts going with me.  This way, I only have 378 more to collect during the spring and summer of next year.

Please, let anyone you know that quilts, crochets or knits that we need brand new handmade quilts for these people and anything is a huge help at this time.

Please No Baby or Infant Quilts At This Time

Right now we have plenty of quilts to cover little ones. I have at least 50 on hand.

At this time, we are in desperate need of large or X-large lap quilts, twin, full or larger unisex quilts.

I boxed up 53 quilts today before my back and hips gave out. We still have more to box up for our first load to eastern WA.

Blessings and Many Thanks to all of you!