NICU in Need

Our current project is collecting handmade donations for Rush Copley Medical Center's NICU. They have a Level III NICU and accept preemies as young as 23 weeks gestation, low birth weight infants as small as 450 grams, babies born with congenital conditions or medical complications, infants requiring special care or surgery, and of course healthy full-term infants.


The NICU is most in need of blankets for the babies in the hospital. They can range from 12 inches to 36 inches square. We hope to provide at least 500 blankets for the babies at Rush Copley.  

The NICU also needs hats, booties, and headbands. The average full-term infant needs hats that are 11-15 inches circumference and 5-6 inches from top to brim. Preemie hats of various sizes are also needed. Our goal is to provide 1000 hats and as many booties and headbands as we can collect for the babies at Rush Copley.

The hospital asks that all yarn be SOFT and machine washable/dryable - any fiber type or color is ok if it meets these 2 requirements. Please use your best judgement on yarn choice, for example, make tiny preemie hats out of fingering or baby weight yarn, etc.   Approximately 75% of baby items should be for full-term infants and 25% for various size preemies.

Our goal is to provide at least 500 blankets, 1000 hats, and as many headbands and booties as we can make by May 1st, 2011.

We'd love to have your help!

A Very Merry Christmas for the Residents!

Click here to view a slideshow of the Nursing Home Visit!

 All of the great gifts that we collected were delivered on Sunday, December 26th to Countryside Care Center.  A group of volunteers along with staff at the nursing home went room to room to wish each of the residents a Merry Christmas and hand out their gifts. 

    The residents were all VERY happy to receive Christmas gifts and loved that they were handmade.  A few women commented that they used to crochet or knit and how beautiful the work was.  One lady even had crocheted decorations for her walker this year and was very grateful for the time that was taken to make her walker bag. 
      Many residents were suprised to receive a Christmas gift and enjoyed opening the wrapping paper.  One nice lady told us she hadn't opened a gift since she was a child.  Another was nearly brought to tears as she had nothing to offer us in return.  A husband and wife decided to trade their afghan gifts with eachother as they each received the other's favorite color afghan. 
     As we were leaving, many residents were wheeling around with their cellular phones in their wheelchair bags, others with afghans on their laps, and still others with shawls wrapped around their shoulders.  All had smiles on their faces!

THANK YOU to all who have helped out with donations, time, and support for this project.  You have made the holidays a much happier time for so many people!

Two Weeks Left

Only 2 weeks left before delivery on Sunday, December 26th, so if you have items left to donate for the residents, be sure to mail or deliver them soon.

BIG Thanks to those who have donated supplies recently!

Brenda Musich donated a bunch of boxes for wrapping up the gifts.

Dr. Tom and Dodee Brooks donated over a hundred bags and lots of tissue paper to help with wrapping.

Clarissa sent us 6 skeins of yarn that we will put to use for the residents. 

Gift #199
Wheelchair Bag made by Lindsey Winter

Gift #200
Wheelchair Bag by Cyndy Wollenweber

Gift #201
Wheelchair Bag by Cyndy Wollenweber

Gift #202
Wheelchair Bag by Cyndy Wollenweber

Gift #203
Wheelchair Bag made by Chenise Paskewicz

Gift #204
Wheelchair Bag by Chenise Paskewicz

Gift #205
Wheelchair Bag by Chenise Paskewicz

Gift #206
Walker Bag made by Sarah Savage

Gift #207
Fingerless Mitts made by Lindsey Winter

Gift #208
Hat by Lindsey Winter

Gift #209
Fingerless Mitts by Lindsey Winter

Gift #210
Wheelchair Bag by Ann Rogers

These 5 bags were sent all the way from England to help out!

Gift #211
Wheelchair Bag by Ann Rogers

Gift #212
Wheelchair Bag by Ann Rogers

Gift #213
Wheelchair Bag by Ann Rogers

Gift #214
Wheelchair Bag by Ann Rogers

Gift #215
Wheelchair Bag by Cindy Ertell of Georgia

Gift #216
Wheelchair Bag by Cindy Ertell of Georgia

Gift #217
Wheelchair Bag by Cindy Ertell of Georgia

Gift #218
Wheelchair Bag by Cindy Ertell of Georgia

Gift #219
Shawl by Cindy Ertell of Georgia

Exceeding our Expectations

We have reached our goal of over 200 items to deliver to Countryside Care Center!

Don't stop stitching yet, we have 3 weeks to go! The extras will be left with Countryside to hand out to residents if there is a need or if we make enough gifts, we may be able to visit a smaller local nursing home to hand out gifts as well. We'd love to spread the joy to as many nursing home residents as we can - the more the merrier!

REMINDER: We truely appreciate all of you who have so generously donated! However, we want all of your gifts to be able to loved and last for a long time. In order for this to be possible, please remember that Machine wash/dry yarn such as acrylic is important. Also, please be sure to leave at least 6 inch tails and weave them in securely so they hold up to the washing at the nursing home. Thank you :)

Thank you again to all of you who have donated over the last few months!

Judy Babich of Sugar Grove donated many Christmas bags for wrapping.

Audrey Wirth of Aurora donated a bunch of yarn.

West Aurora High School collected yarn for us, also. Special thanks to Mr. Scharm, the activities director, who spread the word at West High.

Sheri from Washington sent us some great yarn, some of which has already been made into projects you'll see later in the thread.

Nanette from Georgia sent us a great package of handmade gifts. You'll see close-ups later in this blog.

Amy of Sugar Grove sent us a BIG bag of yarn and also some projects that her grandmother started that we can finish for the residents.

Sheri McDonough of Sugar Grove made a nice donation of yarn.

Mary Love of Batavia donated some great yarn for shawls or afghans.

"Prayers and Squares" from Sugar Grove's United Methodist Church sent us 6 beautiful quilts that follow below. A big thank you to the members; Betty Bohlander, Joan Perrin, Karen Griffin, and Nancy Wolbert.
Gift #149
Quilt by "Prayers and Squares"

Gift #150

Quilt by "Prayers and Squares"

Gift #151
Quilt by "Prayers and Squares"

Gift #152
Quilt by "Prayers and Squares"

Gift #153
Quilt by "Prayers and Squares"

Gift #154
Quilt by "Prayers and Squares"

Gift #155
Wheelchair Bag by Lucille Winter

Gift #156
Wheelchair Bag by Lucille Winter

Gift #157
Wheelchair Bag by Lucille Winter

Gift #158
Wheelchair Bag by Lucille Winter

Gift #159
Wheelchair Bag by Lucille Winter

Gift #160
Wheelchair Bag by Lucille Winter

Gift #161
Wheelchair Bag by Lucille Winter

Gift #162
Wheelchair Bag by Lucille Winter

Gift #163
Wheelchair Bag by Lucille Winter

Gift #164
Wheelchair Bag by Lucille Winter

 

Gift #165
Wheelchair Bag by Lucille Winter

Gift #166
Wheelchair Bag by Lucille Winter

Gift #167
Wheelchair Bag by Lucille Winter

Gift #168
Wheelchair Bag by Lucille Winter

 

Gift #169
Wheelchair Bag by Lucille Winter

Gift #170
Afghan made by Beth Winter

Gift #171
Afghan made by Beth Winter

Gift #172
Afghan made by Beth Winter

Gift #173
Socks made by Nanette

Gift #174
Blanket made by Nanette

Gift #175
Blanket made by Nanette

Gift #176
Blanket made by Nanette

Gift#177
Afghan donated by Shirley Welte of Aurora and made by her late grandmother

Gift#178
Afghan donated by Shirley Welte of Aurora and made by her late grandmother

Gift#179
Afghan donated by Shirley Welte of Aurora and made by her late grandmother

Gift#180
Afghan and matching pillow donated by Shirley Welte of Aurora and made by her late grandmother

Gift#181
Afghan donated by Shirley Welte of Aurora and made by her late grandmother

Gift#182
Afghan donated by Shirley Welte of Aurora and made by her late grandmother

Gift#183
Afghan donated by Shirley Welte of Aurora and made by her late grandmother

Gift#184
Afghan donated by Shirley Welte of Aurora and made by her late grandmother

Gift#185
Wheelchair bag made by Cyndy Wollenweber

Gift#186
Wheelchair bag made by Cyndy Wollenweber

Gift#187
Wheelchair bag made by Cyndy Wollenweber

Gift#188
Wheelchair bag made by Chenise Paskewicz




 

Gift#189
Wheelchair bag made by Lauren Kiley

Gift#190
Weheelchair bag made by Lauren Kiley (don't know why this picture insists on being sideways, but I can't fix it)

Gift#191
Wheelchair bag made by Lauren Kiley

Gift#192
Wheelchair bag made by Lauren Kiley

Gift#193
Wheelchair bag made by Chenise Paskewicz

Gift#194
Afghan made by Chrissy Penna

Gift#195
Wheelchair bag made by Carissa Winter

Gift#196
Wheelchair bag made by Carissa Winter

Gift#197
Wheelchair bag made by Lindsey Winter

To Be Continued....