http://www.thepreemieproject.com/index.php/blog The Preemie Project Community Blog en laura-aker@thepreemieproject.com Copyright 2010 2010-07-21T17:43:28-06:00 http://www.thepreemieproject.com/blog/comments/files_down/ http://www.thepreemieproject.com/blog/comments/files_down/#When:17:43:28Z We are aware that several files on the website are not showing up.  We are experiencing technical difficulties and will have this problem fixed as soon as possible.  In the meantime, do not worry about including donation tags with your items.  We will add them in prior to donating your items.  Thank you for your patience! Events & Announcements, General Blogging 2010-07-21T17:43:28-06:00 http://www.thepreemieproject.com/blog/comments/black_and_gold_for_the_babies/ http://www.thepreemieproject.com/blog/comments/black_and_gold_for_the_babies/#When:17:28:01Z Fall will soon be upon us and for TPP, that means our special holiday NICU donations are fast approaching!  For the 6th year in a row we will be making three donations of special items.  The first is our “Hawkeye” donation, which will take place on September 3, 2010. WHAT IS THE HAWKEYE DONATION? We’re located in the heart of Hawkeye country and the University Hospital is located across from the football stadium.  So to show our Hawkeye Pride, we donate Hawkeye-themed items to the NICU and PICU the Friday before the first home football game of the season. HOW CAN YOU HELP? We need volunteers to make black and gold hats and booties for the babies.  Unlike years passed, we won’t be making the pink and white sets for the girls.  Unfortunately it seems that the pink and white Hawkeye fabric has been discontinued.  Instead we will be donating the black and gold. To help guide your crafting, here are our donation goals: Hat and Bootie Sets: 1-3lb 15 sets 3-5lb 35sets 6-8lb 35ets 9-11lb 25ets Blankets: Small (25” to 30” square): 25 Large and X-Large (30” to 50” square): 50 As always Yarn Guidelines and Crafting Guidelines apply. Mail By Deadline: Friday 8-27-2010 UIHC Donation Date: 9-3-2010 This donation is always a HUGE hit with the families!  The nurses take pictures of the babies in these special items and make cards for the families.  We hope you will consider helping us! As always, it’s for the babies! Laura Pabich (Aker) Events & Announcements, General Blogging, Volunteer Opportunities 2010-07-21T17:28:01-06:00 http://www.thepreemieproject.com/blog/comments/volunteer_for_our_july_work_group/ http://www.thepreemieproject.com/blog/comments/volunteer_for_our_july_work_group/#When:16:39:32Z We need volunteers to help prepare for and participate in our July 31st and August 1st Work Group Weekend.  You do not need sewing skills to attend!!  Please email us if you plan to attend, including which day(s) and if you will bring a sewing machine.  This allows us to plan ahead for table/work space for all volunteers.  When? Saturday July 31st, 11am-5pm Sunday August 1st, 11am-5pm Where? TPP Headquarters (The Aker Household) 2607 Flagstone Ct Coralville, IA. 52241 Link to Google Map Here **Please bring a small dish for the potluck lunch** What are TPP Work Group Weekends? Four times per year we spend a weekend sewing blankets and blanket sleepers for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at the UIHC.  Our goal is to finish 100-150 sewn blankets and 60-80 blanket sleepers.  We need A LOT of help to reach these goals! How can you help with preparations? This is a great opportunity for people who want to help but can’t attend the event!  Volunteers are needed to wash fabric and use it to cut out and pin blankets and sleepers.  All materials and printed directions are provided.  Fabric is also available for people who would like to cut out and sew blankets or sleepers in their home on their own time.  At this time this opportunity is only available to local volunteers who have attended at least one work group.  Email for more information. What should you bring? 1. Sewing Supplies (If you already own them)-sewing machine, serger, thread, scissors, pins, etc 2. Small dish to share at the potluck lunch (Beverages provided) How can you sign up?  What if you have questions? Email to with any questions. As always, it’s for the babies!! Laura Pabich (Aker) Events & Announcements, General Blogging, Volunteer Opportunities 2010-07-05T16:39:32-06:00 http://www.thepreemieproject.com/blog/comments/5th_annual_summer_craft_sale/ http://www.thepreemieproject.com/blog/comments/5th_annual_summer_craft_sale/#When:16:10:56Z Calling all TPP Volunteers!!! Our summer fundraiser is right around the corner.  We will be selling crafts at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for the 5th consecutive year.  We need your donations of crafts to meet our goal of raising $3,000 at this sale. What? TPP Summer Craft Sale When? July 27th and 28th, 10am-4pm Where? The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA. (Lobby by elevator I) How Can You Help? 1. Donate your Craft Items Send To/Drop Off at: Mary Anne Sheets                       188 Lockmoor Cir                       North Liberty, IA 52317 2. Forward this email to your crafty friends and family and encourage them to help the babies! These crafts have sold well in the past: Jewelry (bracelets, necklaces and earrings) Flip Flops (Decorated) Purses and Bags Fall Themed Items (Halloween!) Handmade Candles Soft Toys and Bears Toys and Bears Everything Hawkeye (Teddy Bears, Blankets, etc) Baby Items (Blankets, Hats, Socks, Bibs, Burp Cloths, etc,) Quilts Taggie Blankets Toddler Sized Items (Hats, Mittens, Sweaters, etc) Washcloths and Potholders (Knit, Crochet and Sewn) Cat and Dog Toys Anything with an “University of Iowa Hawkeye” theme Baby Gift Sets (Example: Blanket, Hat/Booties, Painted Onesie) Scrub Caps (Hospital Workers) You do not have to limit your donations to these items.  Please feel free to be creative. View examples from previous sales in our photo gallery. Mail by Deadline: Saturday July 24, 2010 Drop off Deadline: Monday July 26, 2010 We hope you will consider helping with this sale!  Contact (Vice President, TPP) with questions. Happy Crafting! Remember, it’s for the babies! Laura Events & Announcements, General Blogging, Volunteer Opportunities 2010-06-15T16:10:56-06:00 http://www.thepreemieproject.com/blog/comments/michigan_chapter5/ http://www.thepreemieproject.com/blog/comments/michigan_chapter5/#When:15:44:38Z How time flies!  It’s almost Easter, that means it’s time mail anything you have for the Michigan Chapter so we can make a trip to the hospitals.  Looking at our busy calendars, Cherie and I would like to be able to go to the hospitals this next weekend.  I know it’s short notice, so please if you have anything mail it by Monday and then leave a comment or send an email so that we are looking for your items. Remember, we’re also on facebook! Michigan Chapter 2010-03-13T15:44:38-06:00 http://www.thepreemieproject.com/blog/comments/michigan_chapter4/ http://www.thepreemieproject.com/blog/comments/michigan_chapter4/#When:18:37:33Z I received an email saying that I had a comment, I can’t find the comment & thought this would be a better way to answer the question! To send items to the Michigan Chapter go to About, click on Chapters.  Scroll down until you see the Michigan Chapter.  There you will find our mailing address! General Blogging 2010-02-01T18:37:33-06:00 http://www.thepreemieproject.com/blog/comments/sew_fun/ http://www.thepreemieproject.com/blog/comments/sew_fun/#When:22:47:49Z We had a wonderful time at our work group last weekend!  This work group was held at the Iowa City Public Library to be able to accommodate more volunteers.  Thankfully we received a lot of wonderful publicity from the Iowa City Press Citizen.  Reporter, Rachel Gallegos wrote not one but 3 articles publicizing the event and our new Blanket Sleeper Program.  January 15, 2010 article January 16, 2010 article January 17, 2010 articleVolunteers sewed blankets from 10am-6pm on Saturday.  First the sewers sewed around the blankets. Then the “turners” turn the blankets right side out.  We’ve never had so many turners before!  It was great! Next the blankets were ironed and the hole for turning was pinned shut.  Here is one of our fantastic ironers. Lastly, the sewers top-stitched all the way around the blankets to close the hole used for turning. We had many new volunteers.  One of these volunteers was “T”.  When T first arrived she said, “I don’t know how to use my machine”, and asked “what’s a bobbin?“.  By the end of the day she had learned lots of new vocabulary words including bobbin, seam allowance and seam ripper!!  Here she is displaying her very first top stitched blanket.  Great job T! This is Mya.  She was a wonderful helper!  She walked around the room and picked up blankets from sewers that were ready to be turned.  We were sad that she didn’t stay the whole day! With the help of many volunteers, we finished 152 blankets!  Isn’t it a beautiful sight?! As always, the success of these weekends are totally dependent upon the support of our volunteers.  It was so great to see not only many returning volunteers but MANY new faces.  We hope to see you again soon! Thank you to: Laura Brofitt, Amy Welt, Pam Snalnaker, Isabel Zvorak, Carla Lyons, Michele Hogue, Kim Horras, Shellie Smith, Aditi Mahaskar, T Ho, Jacqueline Charlier, Nancy Fisher, Ginny Driscoll, Sheri Null, Margaret Wick, Marsha Cheney, Johanna Burdinie, Mary Heitzman, Renata Owens, Nancy Byrum, Sarah Straub, Carol Shekee, Carol Casey, Becky Watts, Jean Frazer and the Duncan Family.  Events & Announcements, General Blogging 2010-01-24T22:47:49-06:00 http://www.thepreemieproject.com/blog/comments/michigan_chapter3/ http://www.thepreemieproject.com/blog/comments/michigan_chapter3/#When:15:32:01Z Cherie and I would like to make a February donation to the Michigan hospitals.  We need your help to make this happen! Remember:  the small preemie sized hats, up to 5 lbs,  need booties.  The larger sized hats, over 5lbs, do not. If there is someone who loves to make just booties we also need small, up to 5 lbs, booties in pastel colors. Blankets of course are always needed. General Blogging, Michigan Chapter 2010-01-23T15:32:01-06:00 http://www.thepreemieproject.com/blog/comments/volunteers_needed_for_january_work_group_weekend/ http://www.thepreemieproject.com/blog/comments/volunteers_needed_for_january_work_group_weekend/#When:13:00:39Z We need volunteers to help prepare for and participate in our January 16th and 17th Work Group Weekend.  You do not need sewing skills to attend.  Reply to this email and let us know if you plan to attend, which day(s) and if you will bring a sewing machine.  This allows us to plan ahead for table/work space for all volunteers.  See below for all of the details on the work group. When? Saturday January 16th, 10am-6pm Sunday January 17th, 1pm-5pm Where? Iowa City Public Library Meeting Room A **Please bring a small dish for the potluck lunch** What are TPP Work Group Weekends? Four times per year we spend a weekend sewing blankets and blanket sleepers for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at the UIHC.  Our goal is to finish 100-150 sewn blankets and 60-80 blanket sleepers.  We need A LOT of help to reach these goals! How can you help with preparations? This is a great opportunity for people who want to help but can’t attend the event!  Volunteers are needed to wash fabric and use it to cut out and pin blankets and sleepers.  All materials and printed directions are provided.  Fabric is also available for people who would like to cut out and sew blankets or sleepers in their home on their own time.  Email for more information. What should you bring? 1. Sewing Supplies (If you already own them)-sewing machine, serger, thread, scissors, pins, etc 2. Small dish to share at the potluck lunch (Beverages provided) How can you sign up?  What if you have questions? Email with any questions. We hope to see you in January.  Remember, it’s for the babies!!  Laura Events & Announcements, General Blogging, Volunteer Opportunities 2009-12-28T13:00:39-06:00 http://www.thepreemieproject.com/blog/comments/tis_the_season/ http://www.thepreemieproject.com/blog/comments/tis_the_season/#When:05:01:35Z We had so much fun delivering the holiday donation to the NICU and PICU at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) earlier this week.  This donation included holiday hats, booties and blankets.  The items will be passed out to all of the babies in time for Christmas.  The families get to use these items during the holidays and take them home as keepsakes.  We had fabulous numbers this year.  So, we donated 10 sets of Santa hats and booties to Labor and Delivery for the little bundles of joy born Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  (Items donated by Barb Goode, Gail Madden and Cindy Anderson)Here are the totals: Blankets: 68 (fantastic!!) Hats and Booties 1-3 lb: 20 3-5lb: 35 6-8lb: 55 9-11lb: 16 We also donated 24 red blanket sleepers that were made during the October Work Group.  Now, join us in marveling at the utter cuteness produced by our volunteers. These striped hats were made by Elsa Narvaz (left) and Jennifer T (right). Here is a close-up of the cute booties paired with Elsa’s hat.  These were made by Carla Lyons and include tiny jingle bells.  Too cute! Jenna Rosner sent us a large variety of creative holiday hats.  Do you see the adorable reindeer in the back? Next on the list are Snowman Hats!  These were made by Jennifer T (left) and Joni Lakin (right).  One of these was chosen by a nurse in the PICU for a baby boy.  Can you imagine how sweet this will be on him?! Details!  Details!  These hats are precious.  Look closely at the intricate designs and you’ll see Christmas Trees and a Snowflake.  These hats were donated by Joni Lakin (left) and Sheri Null (right) Gotta love this santa hat and striped hat with a bow by Emily Thomas and Carol Minnis. This looks like a Christmas card in the making… (donated by Barb Goode) We hope this donation brought much joy to the families NICU and PICU.  Thank you to all of the volunteers who made it possible. Happy Holidays! The Preemie Project Events & Announcements, General Blogging 2009-12-23T05:01:35-06:00