The Preemie Project Group Blog

Black Friday Wrap-Up

We have been so excited about your support for our Prematurity Awareness Month Fundraiser!  With your support we raised $2,300.  Thank you to everyone who contributed to this campaign!  You keep our mission alive!

During the early morning hours of Black Friday 2011, TPP volunteers were spread throughout Iowa, and even Kansas, with coffee in hand, ready and waiting to dash in Jo-Ann Fabrics and grab as much fabric as possible.  Why the mad dash?  On Black Friday, flannel that is usually priced $5.00/yd to $6.00/yd was a mere $1.49/yd.  With such an amazing deal we seek to purchase enough flannel to last the whole year.  We were all so happy to have great weather this year for the hour place wait in front of the store.

Group #1 was located in Topeka, Kansas.  Heather Borgren and Linda Aker were first in line at Jo-Ann Fabrics and started the line at 5am.

Group #2 consisted of Laura and Brian Pabich, who were first in line at 5am in front of the Jo-Ann Fabrics in South Des Moines, Iowa.  Getting up early and waiting outside in the dark is easy when it’s for the babies!

Group #3 consisted of die hard TPP volunteers Audrey Knox, Carla Lyons and Mary Anne Sheets (plus family member visiting for Thanksgiving) who were also first in line in front of the Jo-Ann Fabrics in Iowa City.  When the doors opened at 6am there was a similar scene at all three stores.  Our volunteers madly dashed for carts and began quickly filling them with bolts of flannel for the babies.  In less than ten minutes we had everything we needed and then the long wait at the cutting and measuring table began.  We were all lucky to get out of the store by 8am.  However, many people in line behind our groups waited for hours to have their fabric measured and cut.

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Only Four Days Left!

Thanks to your support, we have reached 50% of our goal to raise $2,500 in honor of National Prematurity Awareness Month.  We only have 4 days left to reach our goal!  All funds raised will go towards fabric purchases on Black Friday to support our programs.

The Joyce family once shared their story of how TPP touched their lives:

“One of the hardest parts of having a baby in the NICU is having to leave.  After all, the obligations of everyday life are still there. I remember going home one day and when I came back there was a small bag hanging on her crib.  I noticed her crib had the cutest little blankets and not just the plain hospital one. I looked inside the bag and thought it was a mistake and that those things belonged to a different baby.  Inside there was a knit hat, a blanket and a sleeper sack. There was a tag inside saying those things were from the preemie project.  I felt like my baby was so loved and that somebody, who did not even know us, cared for the two of us. It was kind of poetic that it arrived when I was gone and it made everything all the more special.“

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Winter Holiday Donation Contest

Start working on those winter holiday sets to earn a chance to win a great prize from TPP! For each winter holiday set you donate for the December 19th Winter Holiday donation, you will be awarded one chance in a drawing to win a beautiful piece of lia sophia jewelry.

One prize will be given to the volunteer who crafts the most winter holiday sets and two additional winners will be selected in a random drawing. Read on for contest rules and to see the prizes!

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Support Babies During Prematurity Awareness Month

November is National Prematurity Awareness Month.  In honor of this National event, The Preemie Project is launching a campaign to raise $2,500 from November 1, 2011 to November 23, 2011.

All donations will go towards our “Black Friday Fabric Fund”.  This fund has been set-up to purchase fabric during Black Friday sales (on the day after Thanksgiving) to support our programs.  Last year we purchased over 3,000 yards of fabric in one day!  We invite you to visit our Facebook Page to see more photos!

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