Current Needs and updates Under The Bridge

Hi all,
I emailed with Rae (our lady who feeds the folks under the bridge), the other day. Wanted to give you some current information about how people are fairing. There currently are more women under the bridge than previously, usually 4-5 per week. People have a need for batteries for flashlights, in order to see after dark. Socks for men and women are always needed, throughout the year due to wet feet when they can't get in out of the eliminates. They have a need of toilet paper, something that never crossed my mind. Mens pants are currently needed too, in addition to your knitting and crocheting hats, mittens, and scarfs; if you're able to send any of those items I'll pass them along to help these folks.

In early October Rae plans to send letters, and make phone calls to churches for any used blankets they might be able to offer. Shortly after that is when the temps really start to dip.

Sadly, many deal with poison ivy and poison oak in the summer months. They often are looking for a place to sleep after dark and end up in the poison without knowing it. Sadder still, many have spent 30 days in jail for pan handling; though the flip side of that is they do have a roof over their heads, food, and a place to sleep during their jail time.

Such is the plight of these homeless folks leaving under the bridge. Not just in this one location we know about; but across this great country of ours. If mailing items for these folks is a problem and you still want to help, please search out those in need in your local area. We can't rid the country of this problem, but helping in many ways is possible. Please continue to do what you can. It is appreciated by many.

**Next up, pictures of another scarf from Sandie (camera batteries are being charged as we speak). Please check back. I'm currently working on a navy scarf.

Homeless are often scattered.

Yesterday while my family gathered to celebrate our Nations birthday and have our traditional cook out, my youngest nephew, Ryan told a story I'd like to share with you all.

He works for the Division of Parks here in our city. Loves it and loves being outdoors. He was telling us about a new park in the works. Well, really not a new park...an area that had been a park of sorts, had gotten run down and wasn't taken care of---in a not so good part of the city. Over time homeless moved in, for them the area cast off and abandoned by others was home. Somewhere along the line the city decided to re-claim it and bring new life to the park. It will have a new name and a dedication is soon to take place. Everyone's first reaction was cool, a nice new park thats good. It played on my mind throughout the day. What happened to those homeless folks, where did they go........do they get the same "New Life" the park does? We all know the sad answer to that thought, they do not!

Will the park revitalize the area for the community? I don't know; but hope so. I would like to think that something positive will come of this action. It's the ying and yang of life. The positive is perhaps a safer, nice new park for families and children........the negative displacing already downtrodden people. I want to find out more about this new park and the area it is to support. Perhaps the beyond part of our Bridge and Beyond could be of some use? Perhaps there's a community homeless shelter.

It's warm here now in Central Ohio, you may think making hats, mittens, and scarves has no place at the moment. PLEASE, keep them coming. We hope to be ready for this season to help those less fortunate.

My continued thanks to one and all for your dedication, your hard work and your big hearts. This is certainly something to celebrate along with our Nations Birthday. I hope you were all able to spend the special holiday with friends and family. Travel over to my travel blog for a virtual visit in Colonial Williamsburg, what could be more fitting on this 4th of July wkend.

• The Red Cardinal is our state bird. Such pretty birds. This one I photographed was perched on the back of a chair on my deck. I took the photo through the door to the deck. Didn't want to open it and send the bird flying away.
• I'm in the process of communicating with Rae to get a bit of an update for you all on our Bridge People
  

I'm Pouring the CHAMPAIGNE, bring your glass!!!!!!!!!

2 Hats, #177 and 178, both crocheted from Dear Dear Sweet Sandie (22 needed to meet goal of 200). Both these hats are crocheted and as always fabulously done. All of Sandie's work is awesome.

Scarf, also crocheted, also from Dear Sweet Fabulous Sandie is..................#100!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We've met our goal of 100 scarves. This is just wonderful exciting news. I can't tell you how happy this makes me. Please take time and swing over to Sandie's blog. She always so very busy crocheting and donating to many worthy causes, not just ours. Some of you may not know Sandie is a Author, check out her books.

Sandie has been very supportive of this charity, by blogging about it to help spreed the news, and by crocheting constantly. Many many thanks Sandie for all you've done. Truly it is appreciated. It is appreciated obviously by me and others here in our group, and more importantly it is appreciated by those we don't know. Those that strive to help, to let them know they are cared for, prayed for and in our thoughts.

If you've not explored her page, I really suggest you do; and as thank you to Sandie...see if there's one of her charities you can support in some way.
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PLEASE keep knitting and crocheting hats, scarves, and mittens. Though we've met the goal of 100 scarves we'll continue our quest.

Doing a Happy Dance!!

These are soooooooooo darling. Look at these fabulous hats knitted and donated by Linda down in Florida. All are cute; but I'm particularly partial to the pink one with ear flaps!!! My hubby wants one and so, I'll be contacted Linda to see about sharing a pattern. These are hats #177-178-179-180

She also knitted 2 fabulous pair of mittens (another pattern I think I need to see about). These mitts are stretching enough to fit several sizes with a nice cuff for warmth. Mittens #42-43

And a neck Gator...now, how perfect is that. Florida Gators after all, lol

Many many thanks Linda.

Every time I open a box or an envelope I'm like a kid at Christmas. I get so giddy with excitement and feel truly grateful for all the wonderful kind and caring people out there willing to help others.

You are All Fabulous in my book!!!!

Goals:
Scarf 99 done 1 needed for goal
Hats 176 done 23 needed for goal
Mittens 43 done 57 needed for goal

Here's a close up of the darling pink hat I was telling you about.

Inching our way to our Scarf Goal

Ever so close...this is another of Sandie's beautiful donations and is scarf #99. Can you believe it...we only need 1 more to hit our goal. But, please don't stop at our goal.

Sandie's scarf is crocheted and trimmed with a darker shade of blue...nice touch!

Many many thanks Sandie for all you've done, you're ongoing support is supercalifragalistic-expealadoses

HUGS

GOALS:
Hats 200 176 completed 24 needed to hit goal
Scarves 100 99 completed.......1 needed to hit goal
Mittens 100 41 pair completed 59 pairs needed to hit goal

LOL...as I posted this picture, had a flash to the movie I watched last night The Devil Wears Prada, and the whole deal she went into about the color BLUE. lol

Scarf

Finally, I got my blue and green scarf done. It's quite large, color blocks of 15 rows of each color section, 7 color sections and measures 10.5 inches wide and is 80 inches long (6 ft 6 inches). Little larger than I usually make, but wanted something for a larger man...and or something that could wrapped around neck and chest for warmth.

We've had a fair amount of sunshine of late, but still are getting very cool temperatures at night. Dipped below 40 again last night so warm items are still needed. We still have heavy blankets on our bed, and most days the windows are closed.

This makes scarf #98 (just 2 shy of our original goal of 100). Please keep them coming the need hasn't gone away yet weather wise...though fingers crossed I do think we're getting close. When that happens we'll store and be ready for when the weather turns rather than having to play catch up.

As always many many thanks for all who've helped with knitting and crocheting, all who've helped by placing blog notices and our blog badge to spread the word, all who've sent money to purchase socks. It is truly amazing what we can do together.

HUGS

**royal blue and hunter green, not sure the green shows up that way in the picture. This is the first thing I've actually been able to finish since Mom passed, had some issues with that; but am feeling better about that now