a different kind of pal party

So the Pal Party series has come to an end. In the last 12 weeks you have met my very best pals, the closest to my heart (not that I don't love you other pals, obviously!), the ones whose beautiful special threads weave my life's dream catcher to catch allllll the magics... SO cheesy. Swoon! But don't be sad. There will surely be more popping up from time to time, and today I'd like to share something really special ANYWAY!

You may or may not know, most weeks I volunteer with an adorable group of old folks at a local assisted living/memory care facility- Hawthorne Gardens. I started late last winter when I felt like I should be doing something useful and chose HG because it was literally two blocks away from my house then. I am one of three volunteers at this place. So far my time with these pals has been spent riding the activities bus every Wednesday to one grocery store or another to help them find things, carry things, or just find their way out of the store- so cute. In the months I've been working with them it has become obvious (it kind of was from the start) that the weekly/monthly funding for activities is less than plentiful. Old people have the biggest place in my heart. Grandmas and Grandpas, I just love them! So I started thinking- what else can I do to help these people? Giving a couple of hours a week just doesn't seem like enough to me. I eventually landed on this conclusion: why not try some fundraising?

I have witnessed first hand Tracy Allinson, Life Enrichment Coordinator (such a fancy term for activities director), try to purchase the necessary supplies (sometimes even bringing in her own)- with barely enough cash, if enough at all- for a project for residents, or decorations for a party, or try to help someone who has little money pay the fee for whatever field trip they may be going on, and it makes me sad. These places make me sad. I imagine all of these people coming to this unfamiliar place to try and make it a home- some of them are with it, and some have no idea where they are. Regardless, I firmly believe activities, field trips, engaging- seeing and touching and doing, as Tracy's title suggests, enriches these people's lives. 

Here is a story. I took an old people bus to the zoo one Tuesday. There were ten or so residents, and a volunteer to push each of them in a wheelchair. The woman I pushed, whose name I am forgetting, was A-MAZED at what she saw. 'I can't believe this- what am I doing here! This is the best day of my life! What have I done to deserve such a trip, I can't believe this! You are so kind to push me all around. I just don't know why I'm here. I must have done something really nice! This is the best day of my life!' MAYBE I CRIED A LITTLE. I mean, this trip made this woman's LIFE. And hearing her exclaim how happy she was is definitely something I won't soon forget.

I want them to have these things. I want them to be able to color in coloring books and stick stickers on each other (NOT that they do that...) and go to the lavender gardens and alpaca farms and art museums and not have to worry that there isn't enough money. This is a big dream, I know. But I want to help, as much as I can, even if the amount I can donate seems insignificant. After seeing the struggle of truly striving to enrich these friend's lives, I decided to do something.

SO. Here it is. 

Hell yes, it's a mother f-n TOTE BAG, Y'ALL. I carved that out and Josh helped me print it. As you can see, the image doesn't really have ANYTHING to do with old people (except maybe it represents youth and vitality, a sort of kicking your feet up in the air after you've collapsed from too many giggles, and I hope our elderly pals experience this still sometimes, or at the very least have fond memories of it), or Hawthorne Gardens specifically- I like that. A lot. I don't want it to be an advertisement. It's a secret... but not really. And if someone asks, you can tell them- 'I helped an old person pet an alpaca. I helped an old person buy lunch to eat in the park. I bought a brand new box of crayons for color time- AT LEAST $5 of every bag is going to Hawthorne Gardens.

Aaaaand that's where this lil issue comes in. Design is done, we figured out how to print them (Josh is a print master who had never printed on fabric before- it worked GREAT! My dream come true! NO screenprinting, just me carving a block and then rolling some ink, BAM!)- HOWEVER. There are some issues with the bags themselves. Originally they were going to be $10. Now I have to figure out how to get a hold of better bags, which probably means they will be more expensive. In that case, more money for HG! And a bag sure to last for you! I'm still in the process of this being approved by the admin anyway, so it all works out.

I will let you guys know how this all goes down on January 1st. Everything will be ready to go by then, and stay tuned for an interview with Tracy, activities director extraordinaire, in which she tells you specifics about just how much your $5 will help- who, what, when, where.

I am so excited about this project that I can't contain it. It is growing. If I can raise a little bit of money for Hawthorne Gardens, why not other groups and non-profits that melt my heart? YES! SO. Two thousand and eleven. A new fundraiser, every month. On the first day of the next twelve months I will introduce you to some real lovelies from around Portland doing wonderful lovely things. The things I will be selling will never be so specific you feel like you are advertising. An image, a pattern, something hopefully pleasing to your eye. Hawthorne Gardens is kicking it off with a tote bag, but February's item might be something different- ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN! But it will probably always involve block printing, 'cause that shit is hella fun. I have the first few months planned out, but please- suggestions for your favorite non-profit? Maybe even a person or group of people who are really in need? 

AND THEN I STARTED THINKING. How do I talk about this? When I approach these places, is it okay to just say, Hey, I'm a girl, I like what you guys do, can I give you some money? The answer is obviously a resounding YES, but when it involves things like this does- blogging, linking, name dropping, online shopping- I think I need to sound a little more profesh than 'just a girl.' So I chose this name, which I will call a working name, as I was immediately stoked on it but settled down wondering about the sound and implications:

BUY GOODS FEEL GOOD.

WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK? FEEDBACK PLEASE!

Thank you. :) All of these items will be available in the LUTS store. Although I'm introducing something new on the 1st of each month, all items will remain in the store indefinitely and proceeds will be donated as they are received.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Enjoy a couple more pictures of Tara, who was gracious enough to be my model. THANK YOU TARA, I lovvvvvvvvvvvvve you!

YES THAT IS FIVE BOTTLES OF WINE... it didn't even break. But still.

<3