Here is the link to KAS Reaches Great Heights for Children
We have more photographs to come from Evaton and Bophelong Children's Home for publishing in 2014.
The Sprout Foundation Report
29th November : Christmas came early this year! Look at all these happy faces. Thank you again Knit-a-Square for your continuous support. It is MUCH appreciated by all of us.
You might also enjoy reading a report from Mama Ntombi Community Projects –
One Child at a Time
This month we featured the story of Ntokozo who was burnt when her grandmother was cooking and the pot tipped over spilling hot oil on her leg. Ntokozo was spotted at the Mama Ntombi 24th November Sunday session and was taken to hospital for treatment.
Burns After hospital treatment
Mama Ntombi dressed Ntokozo
10th December Ntokozo wounds are healing nicely
22nd December completely healed!
Sabelo, who we featured last month, along with his two sisters has been 'adopted' by Lisa through the Mama Ntombi adoption programme which enables a family to be provided for by an adoptee, and who will receive regular reports.
Olwethu is also progressing well, here she is on 22nd December!
BLANKETS !
The Knit-a-Square Blanket Album continues to grow, you may even spot some of your squares!
You may recall that last year the students of Beaulieu College Outreach helped to open hundreds of parcels from a giant back–log that was choking Ronda's garage. Well the students hadn't forgotten and contacted KAS to say they would like to do 'something' again. They were speedily supplied with a number of blanket square packs to turn into blankets!
Please click above and see all the beautifully results created by the students!
The JBay Recycling Project & Stitch Witch News
The Stitch Witch Group held a Teddy Bear competition so that all the children who attend the recycling sessions received a bag containing not only a teddy, but crayons, an activity book and cookies! The competition winner was Sandy Pio who managed to produce 60 of the 320 bears received.
This Jeffries Bay Community project has continued to go from strength to strength, undoubtedly helped by the presence of our lovely Stitch Witch team who continue to contribute blankets along with the help of the ladies of the Sunshine Club.
ISSUES – WE NEED YOUR HELP WITH !
Zero Tolerance
With regard to the completion of the Custom Slip
attached to your parcels!
Please do check out the discussion, ZERO TOLERANCE, in Postage Information, created by Anne to help prevent unnecessary raids on our much needed funds by South Africa Customs & Revenue!
Sadly a parcel recently arrived from the UK declaring a value of £12 sterling. Unfortunately, the writing was not perfectly clear, and, South African Customs & Excise insisted it said £72 sterling, and Ronda had to pay 300 Rand (£17.50 or $30 US) to bail it out. This sum far outstripped the value of the goods contained in the parcel, plus it used up valuable cash that Knit-a-Square would prefer to spend providing the children with extra food!
Judging from the number of comments posted already, instructions to Postal Office Clerks does tend to vary, rather adds to the confusion. Canada and the UK will accept '0', but sometimes USA and Australia do require a figure. The USA, Helen has found her office accepts a value of $1, elsewhere Debbie uses '0' without any difficulties. Bev in Australia has found the $1 is accepted at her post office!
Anyhow, we are asking everyone to spread-the-word about filling in the forms extra carefully in order to safeguard Ronda's piggie bank!
KAS SQUARE MEASURE
The KAS Square Measure, is being revised and worked on, with the help of Adelina in the UK. We are tweaking it a little as the information concerning the Custom Slip is going to be added and the ruler (that shrank) is being removed. However the existing Square Measure is perfectly useable and works well as an information pack all rolled into one!
SORTED IN AFRICA
Here are a couple of opening day photographs. To see more open day photographs please go to Sorted in South Africa
To read this delightful letter, please click on Society of St. Vincent de Paul and choose View Full Size which makes it easier to read.
The Society thanked Knit-a-Square members for the toys we sent them to use as Christmas Gifts – and they certainly came in handy!
Ronda and the team packed up 900 beanies which were sent for distribution at the Community Policing Forum's Christmas Outreach (scroll down the page) in Kya Sands. They were very gratefully received!
Over the years Ronda has received lots of wonderful and charming letters from school children who want to help. We'll share them gradually that came from the 3M class, Ambleside, Tasmania Island (Australia) – as we are coming to the end of the year we will make these our final letters! The letters have been delightful, but due to being written in pencil it is not easy to find one that will post clearly on the page!
Nixon Street Primary – Tasmania Island, Australia
KAS GROUP NEWS &
SPREADING THE WORD
We have received an email from the students at United World College South East Asia – East Campus, Singapore. The school incorporates a Global Concerns Project into the education of the students. Here is a statement of intent from the college :
“Global Concerns is a dynamic initiative enabling students to put their ideals into action by establishing project groups which actively address specific issues about which the students care deeply. The projects focus on working to support causes and communities through direct links with partner organisations outside Singapore.”
“The UWC Movement believes that to achieve peace and a sustainable future, the values it promotes are crucial: international and intercultural understanding; celebration of difference; personal responsibility and integrity; mutual responsibility and respect; compassion and service; respect for the environment; a sense of idealism; personal challenge and action and personal example.”
Student Nupur Chatterji has started a group called 'Knit Kare' and there are currently 20 eager students participating in producing squares to send to KAS, and, we have been promised further updates as the project develops. Below is a photograph of these wonderful students!
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The new KasBlog
One Square at a Time
written by Laurie Fortier (Canada) can be found on the Forum menu bar KasBlog. We have added a new box on the right-hand side of the Forum front page which will alert you to when a new blog is available. Laurie updates the blog very regularly – often twice a week!
The Knit for Life Team
Pam Johnson & Elaine Jones are trying to win £300 ($450) to buy yarn for their teams of ladies to knit squares for KAS! You can help by voting for them every week (I do on a Monday). The competition started on 4th November and runs for 16 weeks. Although Knit for Life hasn't won yet, but we are amongst the most viewed profile – so they are in with a very good chance! To read more go to Knit for Life.
To vote, please go to the Galaxy Hot Chocolate Fund
KAS MONTHLY CHALLENGES
The December 2013 Challenge It's a Red Month lead by Carol Playford has produced a wide variety of squares incorporating red!
The January Challenge – our Annual Winter Drive is being lead by Anne Powell with the focus being garments. This will give members time to create them and get them in the post so they are received by Ronda ready for the South African Winter Distributions in May and June when the first of the cooler weather arrives!
2014 Challenge Themes
Here is the complete list for 2014, but there is a possibility that March and September will be swapped around – Gitta's husband has decided to whisk her off to Paris during March!
JANUARY – WINTER DRIVE – Anne Powell (emphasis on long sleeved garments)
FEBRUARY – HEARTS – RED, WHITE & PINK – Laurie Fortier
MARCH – AROUND THE WORLD IN 30 DAYS! – Bev Jeffery
APRIL – COLOUR COLLISION – Elaine Jones
MAY – MELLOW YELLOW – Sunshine, flowers & all things yellow – Sue Gillman
JUNE – DAY OF THE AFRICAN CHILD – Robin Monsees
JULY – STRIPES, ZIG ZAGS & TEXTURES & MANDELA DAY THEME – Anne Powell
AUGUST – THE BEAUTY OF BLUES – Susan Haines
SEPTEMBER – VARIEGATED YARN – Gitta Seyfert
OCTOBER – FAVOURITES – favourite yarn, patterns etc – Mary Anne Fellows
NOVEMBER – BUGS, SLUGS & HUGS – Linda Maltby
DECEMBER – UN-CHALLENGE – time to relax, have fun, and get ready for the holidays – Susan Haines
SQUARE LISTS – TALLY – ITEM COUNT
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Square Lists for November are ready for viewing.
Received in November : Squares 9,255 (264 blankets);
Tops 185 and Beanies 456
For further details go to the discussion page Square Lists – Tally – Item Count for previous months.
PACKAGE INVENTORY
Please do not forget the Package Inventory develped to help make parcel opening day easier for the team in South Africa has proved a great success in speeding up the whole process. Now the team have 'test driven' it for several months, Gina has modified the design so that it truly meets the office needs. The file is below, or, click on the link above in order to read the discussion.
KAS Package Inventory.pdf
JANUARY PATTERN OF THE MONTH
by Linda Maltby
SQUARE HEART
OF THE MONTH AWARD
Edited this month by Laurie Fortier
This month the Square Heart Award goes to
This month the Square Heart Award goes to
Jeni Nesbitt from Glasgow, Scotland!
AKA, Harrison's Mom
Jeni has been a devoted member of KAS since 2009.
She started the wonderful Yarn-aholics thread here on the forum which is so therapeutic for all of us
KAS FACEBOOK PAGE
We have received an additional 119 Likes on the Facebook page so far during November-December taking our total to 6575! We also copy the messages etc received on Facebook to the Forum for anyone who is not a member of FB.
FINAL THOUGHTS
There have been a number of landmarks along the way during 2013, especially the arrival of the KasVan via the generosity of G4S, and, KAS was able to move into offices and vacate Ronda's home! Obviously, the recent resignation of Sandy who co-founded KAS and saw it through its first 5-years is another. However, any organisation is only as good as its members and supporters who continue to do everything they can to make a truly practical difference to the lives of the children we serve.
There have been many distributions, all of which touched our hearts, but for 2013, none has probably quite had the visual impact that the USA lead fundraising appeal had on the children of Nancefield.
The photographs of Nancefield Distribution November 2013 start with the arrival of the KasVan filled with dried food for the teachers to provide meals for the children.
Knit-a-Square members took this cavernous gym with one piece of equipment (the little house slide) for the children to play with
to an explosion of colour!
The Knit-a-Square mandate is to reach children of all races, who have lost parents through HIV/AIDs. Our Forum members and the team in South Africa, plus, the worldwide contributors from 60 countries, come from all cultures, races and religions.
We come together as a team who truly care!
May you all enjoy a peaceful Christmas and a New Year filled with love and happiness!!!!
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