Knitting and Sewing
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Hanging On By Teddys Thread
   
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Cigars: Curing Tobacco
Curing Tobacco: a Necessity
Like many plants, green tobacco is 90 percent water. After being harvested, and before going to the barn, the .....
Curing Tobacco: a Necessity
Like many plants, green tobacco is 90 percent water. After being harvested, and before going to the barn, the .....
Victoria Koning from Marvic Tours and Tales was deeply saddened
after reading a news article, dated the 16th June 2005, which
stated that 50 children get raped every day in South Africa. She
found the words almost incomprehensible ... and quite
devestating. But a small glimmer of hope was found when she
learned about the Mother Bear Project
(http://www.motherbearproject.org).
Amy Berman founded the Mother Bear Project, which requests that
volunteers knit a teddy bear based on her mothers World War II
pattern. The teddy bear then gets a little face and red felt
heart sewn on to it and is shipped off to a little child in
South Africa, and other countries.
Berman had read a similar article about these children getting
raped, "I could not just close the magazine and continue with my
everyday life knowing there were children in such pain," said
Berman. "I knew I could not solve the 'big problem' from here,
but I thought maybe I could bring awareness of this problem and
provide comfort to the young victims in the form of a teddy,"
she said. I believe every bear has a story, and we only hear a
few of the thousands.
In Zambia, a little 7-year old girl who had AIDS was being
stigmatised by her peers because it was known she had the
disease. She stopped going to school and before she died she
asked that she be buried with her bear because it was her only
friend.
One 8-year old boy in South Africa who was living in a
child-headed household, had to evacuate his home with his
siblings a few months ago during torrential rains because his
home was falling apart. He told his sister that he had to go and
get his bear. His teen sister told him not to go because he
would be risking his life. He said he had to because the bear
had a heart on it and that meant someone loved him. He did get
his bear before his home was totally destroyed.
Koning contacted Berman to express her heart-felt thanks and
appreciation of what was being done, and asked how they [Marvic]
could be of help. Berman replied, I am always touched by
hearing from others who find out about this project and want to
help. It is incredible how the Internet can bring people
together. Berman continued, I have now sent over 6,300 bears
Is Your Child Ready For School?
If you're the parent of an infant or toddler, you might be bristling with indignation at such a preposterous question. Or perhaps .....
from knitters all over the U.S. and the world. These knittersIf you're the parent of an infant or toddler, you might be bristling with indignation at such a preposterous question. Or perhaps .....
have ranged in age from 8 - 97 years old, and they come from all
faiths and backgrounds. Each person has their own reason for
knitting a bear, and I feel like it is my primary duty to make
sure these bears are given out unconditionally as they were
intended.
In response to how Marvic and others can help, Berman replied,
People can send for a pattern and knit bears...I ask $3 and a
self-addressed envelope (stamped if in the U.S.) be sent to:
Mother Bear Project, P.O. Box 62188, Minneapolis, MN 55426,
U.S.A. This $3 helps to pay to ship the bears and pay duty fees
on the receiving end. I send each knitter a pattern and a tag.
If the knitters make more than 1 bear, I ask that they send $3
for the extra bears. There are many knitters who cannot afford
to pay for their bears and I will always accept the bears
without money. I always need donations for shipping the bears
and for all the expenses such as the P.O. Box, shipping
supplies, trademark fees, printing expenses (brochures, etc) and
all the costs of the things it takes to keep this project going
strong. I pay the duty fees on the receiving end because I
believe the people giving out the bears should not be
financially burdened. I do not use the money for anything except
the project expenses. I work full time in addition to running
this project. All donations are tax deductible.
Marvic aims to help increase awareness of this worthy project
and the full article can be read at
http://www.marvic.biz/tales/newroom/NL0506ART02.htm.
About the author:
Marvic Tours and Tales promotes authentic eco-cultural safari
adventures in South Africa and offers free online infotainment
at http://www.marvic.biz.