Donations Help Ohio's Homeless

No....flowers aren't blooming here in Central Ohio.  This picture of daisies is one I took several years ago in my back yard.  It's so cold and gray here I thought we could use a lift by looking at flowers.  AND I'm sorry to say, I don't have a picture of the wonderful donation from our friend Dee Ann H.  I don't know what happened when I loaded the disc into the computer to do the edits, but the picture of her thoughtful donation was missing.

She donated 9 hats, 1 scarf plus a 1 gator (which I combined for 2 in the scarf category), and a pair of mittens.  AND you all know how excited I get when we get donations of mittens.

Many many thanks Dee Ann, and please keep up the good work and know how appreciated your items are.

2016 Donations:
HATS: 506-9=497
SCARVES (Gators, Infinity): 333-2=331
MITTENS: 108-1=107
SLIPPERS: 60
RAIN PONCHOS: 206
COTTON WASHCLOTHS: 236
AFGHANS: 36
SOCKS: 135

**We started the year with the number of items we had donated last year, 2016; and will subtract our donations from that.  Using the end number for 2016 as the goal for the each item.  So, as the year continues you will see numbers decrease.  Our goal is to meet and surpass the number of items donated last year.**

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

The Power of Friendship

Look what a group of friends can accomplish.  This donation is a collective effort from 5 friends: Nikki S, Linda S, Jason D, Christina D, and Laurin A.  How cool is that.  We have a wonderful collection of personal care items, toothpaste, toothbrushes, rain poncho's, combs, and soap AND some beautiful scarves both knitted and crocheted.  Nikki orchestrated this wonderful donation for the benefit of Bridge and Beyond and hand delivered it to my house.  Let's give this group of friends special kudos for using their friendship to do for others.  I LOVE this.  It once again shows the power of one, the power of spreading the word and what together people can accomplish.

Thank you all for your thoughtfulness, and your giving spirit.  What a special group of friends you are.  Please keep up the good work.  YOU ALL ROCK!

2016 Donations:
HATS: 506
SCARVES: 337-4=333
MITTENS: 108
SLIPPERS: 60
RAIN PONCHOS: 211-5=206
COTTON WASHCLOTHS: 236
AFGHANS: 36
SOCKS: 135

**We started the year with the number of items we had donated last year, 2016; and will subtract our donations from that.  Using the end number for 2016 as the goal for the each item.  So, as the year continues you will see numbers decrease.  Our goal is to meet and surpass the number of items donated last year.**

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

So Many Ways to Warm Those in Need Here on Bridge and Beyond

 Woot Woot, look at this awesome and very generous donation from our good friend and long time supporter Gail B.  She's apparently not been sleeping at night, either that or she crochets in her sleep!  Impressive Gail.  Beautiful warm soft scarves.  Some colors perfect for the men folk and the pretty purples and blends awesome for the ladies.  They're not little folks, I've just left them folded so I could get more in a picture.  Please click to enlarge so you can see how pretty.  17 scarves in this photo.

AND...don't go away, there's more.  Slippers, hats, and 2 more scarves in this photo!  I told you she hasn't been sleeping!

Notice the tags on the hats and slippers for size!  I'd like to remind everyone to please tag sizes for hats, slippers and mittens.  AND please attach mittens and slippers to the pair stays together.  Folks you don't need to be fancy with tags, Gail has hold punched notebook paper and tied the tag on the item with yarn.  Easy peasy.  You can certainly buy those little white tags, or use card stock etc, but you do not need to be fancy.  These look cute as she cut them on an angle to add a little flare.  Please avoid using safety pins, paper clips, and tape.  In some cases the pins have come opened and in other cases they've been hard to get out of the yarn.  Tape has also been a bit of an issue, when removed it makes a fuzzy spot sometimes.

Please keep up the good work Gail, and again many thanks for your long term support.  YOU ROCK!

2016 Donations:
HATS: 511-5=506
SCARVES: 356 -19=337
MITTENS: 108
SLIPPERS: 63-3=60
RAIN PONCHOS: 211
COTTON WASHCLOTHS: 236
AFGHANS: 36
SOCKS: 135

**We started the year with the number of items we had donated last year, 2016; and will subtract our donations from that.  Using the end number for 2016 as the goal for the each item.  So, as the year continues you will see numbers decrease.  Our goal is to meet and surpass the number of items donated last year.**

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

Afghan without a Name, Traveling Stripes?

If you've been to this blog before, you probably know I name afghans I'm working on.  They generally are afghans I'm putting together with donated squares, though sometimes there are ghans I'm knitting or crocheting.  You also probably know I've been out of town for several weeks.  Usually yarn and projects is the first thing I can pack for a trip and give the most thought to.  This year, things were kinda chaotic...so a short while before leaving the house I darted to the basement and grapbed 5 large skeins of yarn I though would go together to make a ghan, and stripes seemed to be a pretty straight way to work easily in the car; as well as something that didn't require lots of counting during the trip.  So this striped ghan of blue, green, gray, pink, and goldish tan is in the works.  Some variety in texture in that I basically alternating knitting with stockinette stitch.   I'm also adding a little slip stitch color work to break up just solids stripes.

But....I've not come up with a name for this one.  Anyone have any ideas?  I would say it's about 1/3rd done.  Amazing how long even a row takes.  Cast on 167 stitches.  Miscounted actually wanted 165, but decided to leave it be rather than do that long cast on again.

Do you knit or crochet when you're in the car?  Do you take yarn and projects along on vacations?  The funny thing is, I always do; but still manage to visit the yarn shop while traveling if I can find one.  AND of course there's always some yarn that wants to come home with me.  Stay tuned for that.  I'll snap a picture to show you what adopted me on this last trip, lol.

Tell us what you're working on, and thank you all for your on going support of Bridge and Beyond.  Let's all do what we can to warm those in need.

2016 Donations:
HATS: 511
SCARVES: 356
MITTENS: 108
SLIPPERS: 63
RAIN PONCHOS: 211
COTTON WASHCLOTHS: 236
AFGHANS: 36
SOCKS: 135

**We started the year with the number of items we had donated last year, 2016; and will subtract our donations from that.  Using the end number for 2016 as the goal for the each item.  So, as the year continues you will see numbers decrease.  Our goal is to meet and surpass the number of items donated last year.**

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

Donations for Bridge and Beyond to Kick off 2017

 These wonderful 7 adults scarves are beautifully crocheted by Ann M.  I love the colors, so suitable for both men and women.

 These cute scarves are also from Ann for the kiddo's.  Remember folks all pictures on the blog can be clicked to enlarge the picture so that you can better see the details in the thoughtful and beautiful donations for Bridge and Beyond.  Please keep up the good work.

 These 3 hats and 2 scarves are wonderfully made by an anonymous crafter.  LOVE the hat style that rolled brim because they're extra warm.  The scarves are crocheted and the hats are knitted, I believe on those round looms.  Remember folks you can be anonymous here on the blog (if you choose), but you can not be anonymous to me.  If you wish to remain anonymous here, simply tell me that in your note with your donation.  It's important, for several reasons that I am able to get ahold of you, the thoughtful donors; and thus I do need to know whom you are.  Thank you for your note and your gracious donation.

This lovely donation of slippers is from our good friend Paulette J.  Be sure folks to click to enlarge so you can see all the fun styles and colors she's used.  Special thanks for tagging each lovely pair with size, it's so greatly appreciated.

As always please keep up the good work and know how many comfy pairs of feet you've made with your wonderful donation. (Thank you also Jane B for mailing this wonderful donation)
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Thank you all for your donations, for your visits to the blog, for your blog comments, for your visits and comments on FB as well.  It seems most of the folks I've heard from liked our method of posting the previous years numbers and subtracting our current donation from it, so I will continue that method again this year.

On the previous post are final numbers for the last several years, if you've not gotten a chance to review them.  My apologies for the sliding chart, as it didn't look that way when I made it on google docs or when I'm embedded the code.  I was out of town after posting it without my computer so didn't have a way to change it to make it more readable.

Numbers for 2016:
Hats  514 (which was 46 over the previous year)
Scarves 370 (which was 174 over the previous year)
Mittens 108 (which was 15 less then the previous year)
Slippers 91 (which was 14 less then the previous year)
Rain Ponchos 211 (which was 106 over the previous year)
Cotton Washcloths 236 (which was 218 less than the previous year)
Afghans 36(which was one less than the previous year)
Socks 135 pairs (which was 66 pairs less then the previous year)



The day I left town I photographed donations from anonymous, Ann M, and Paulette J so that I could blog about them when I arrived at my destination.  However, that proved to be not possible.  I had the pictures on my phone, but couldn't load them from the phone to the blog.  I emailed them to myself and tried to load them from my ipad, which was also a bust.  Frustrating that it doesn't work like it does from my computer.

Sadly, these donation have been waiting til my return to get posted here, and share with you all.

Many thanks for your patience ladies, it's much appreciated.

2016 Donations:
HATS: 514-3=511
SCARVES: 370-14=356
MITTENS: 108
SLIPPERS: 91-28=63
RAIN PONCHOS: 211
COTTON WASHCLOTHS: 236
AFGHANS: 36
SOCKS: 135

****donations that arrived while I was away were delivered yesterday by my friendly and ever caring postal worker from: Dee Ann H, Gail B, Emily K, Sandra R, Patty C, Carol W, and anonymous, please stay tuned as I catch up from being away for 3 wks.****

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

2016 Donation Totals for the Homeless

(A New Years many years ago, before I was totally gray, and hubby was gray and thin on top.)

Though Bridge and Beyond has been around longer than 2013, typically when I publish and compare end of the year donation totals, I cover just recent years. 2013 was a banner year for us, so that's the year I've chosen to start with. I've listed years, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. Along with the numbers of the actual donation totals, you'll see -RED, and +BLUE numbers which represent that year as compared to the previous years totals.

I'm please to report that the year 2016 was a good year for donating hats, scarves and rain poncho's.  All those numbers are blue positive numbers.  AND even with mittens and slippers being in the red, we weren't too far off our previous years totals.

Keep in mind donating is HUGE.  You all should be very proud of what has been accomplished.  You take precious time, money and skill to knit and crocheted for folks you do not know.  You buy yarn, you pay for postage.  There truly is no donation that's too small.  We hear at Bridge and Beyond give of ourselves and that's pretty precious in my book.  I appreciate each and everyone of you and your efforts to warm those in need, those with less than we all have.

Please keep up the good work, and may 2017 find you and yours Happy and Healthy.  Let us continue to do what we can with our needles, hooks, and yarn.

THANK YOU!






**I've not included things such as headbands, cowls, shawls, shrugs, vests, sweaters, personal items and anything misc in above figures.  Over time I've changed how some things are listed and so to be consistent, I left those out of the stats.  Cowls will be counted here out with scarves, as will infinity scarves.  The numbers for vests, shawls, headbands etc are quite low and will be considered misc.**

I've not decided whether to list the actual number this year for items throughout the year, or stick with the subtracting it from our number this year.  Please weight in as to which counting method you like best, and I'll give it so more thought.

Once again, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO.

 All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.