Beanies for Preemies
Donation protected
It all started with me trying to clean up my craft corner! With extra yarn and materials, I researched patterns to crochet baby beanies to then later donate to the hospital. Ryder, my seven year old son said that he wanted to turn this into a business. I reminded him that this was for charity and not for profit. Then he got excited about helping kids and he said we should set a goal to make 400 hats!
I laughed and told him that I did not have the money, yarn or time to make 400 beanies but that I loved his enthusiasm. He walked away but I could see the wheels turning. After some time he came back and said, "What if we sell the hats or raise the money?"
I thought for a second and then told him if he wanted to start a project to raise the money then I would continue making hats until the yarn was gone.
I told him he had to think of the following:
A name for his project
His goals
Where the hats would go
What people could do to help
I thought given him this mini homework assignment might remind him that projects are a lot of planning and thought frankly he might lose interest. But Ryder rose to the task by create a project name "Beanies for Preemies," completing my goals sheet and drawing a poster or logo.
Seeing that he was determined we then called the Children's Hospital Foundation in Winnipeg to see if they would even take the hats once completed. They not only agreed to take the donation they said there are chapters in their foundation called Kids helping Kids and that Ryder's project would fit right in there. Now Ryder was more excited than ever.
As I crocheted hats, he came up with the idea that when someone made a donation they could write a note or sign their name which we would pin on the hats, that way the baby got the hat and the parents got the message. We had done this ourselves by signing a card for the Make A Wish Foundation after a donation at Walmart.
I agreed feeling it was a way to have people involved for their $2 donation for each hat. So Gabe, Ryder's dad made Ryder 500 business cards to be used as our message board and also to advertise his project and help with his donations. Knowing we were behind him, pushed him even further. Ryder created a goal board on our chalk board at home that shows how many hats are made to date and how many donations received.
He has been telling people his goal and has already received cash and etrasnfer donations which we have used to purchase more yarn. He has asked his Nana (Shelley Zawislak) to help by sewing fleece hats to add to his 400 goal.
Moving forward Ryder will be setting up a table at the Ste Rose IGA this May, a table at the Lake Manitoba Narrows community yard sale on June 23rd and once more materials are collected is planning on asking local active seniors if they would like to donate their time to make hats, if we provide the materials.
I am so proud of Ryder and his efforts and as long as he is passionate about this project I will continue to support him and crochet away!
Thank you
I laughed and told him that I did not have the money, yarn or time to make 400 beanies but that I loved his enthusiasm. He walked away but I could see the wheels turning. After some time he came back and said, "What if we sell the hats or raise the money?"
I thought for a second and then told him if he wanted to start a project to raise the money then I would continue making hats until the yarn was gone.
I told him he had to think of the following:
A name for his project
His goals
Where the hats would go
What people could do to help
I thought given him this mini homework assignment might remind him that projects are a lot of planning and thought frankly he might lose interest. But Ryder rose to the task by create a project name "Beanies for Preemies," completing my goals sheet and drawing a poster or logo.
Seeing that he was determined we then called the Children's Hospital Foundation in Winnipeg to see if they would even take the hats once completed. They not only agreed to take the donation they said there are chapters in their foundation called Kids helping Kids and that Ryder's project would fit right in there. Now Ryder was more excited than ever.
As I crocheted hats, he came up with the idea that when someone made a donation they could write a note or sign their name which we would pin on the hats, that way the baby got the hat and the parents got the message. We had done this ourselves by signing a card for the Make A Wish Foundation after a donation at Walmart.
I agreed feeling it was a way to have people involved for their $2 donation for each hat. So Gabe, Ryder's dad made Ryder 500 business cards to be used as our message board and also to advertise his project and help with his donations. Knowing we were behind him, pushed him even further. Ryder created a goal board on our chalk board at home that shows how many hats are made to date and how many donations received.
He has been telling people his goal and has already received cash and etrasnfer donations which we have used to purchase more yarn. He has asked his Nana (Shelley Zawislak) to help by sewing fleece hats to add to his 400 goal.
Moving forward Ryder will be setting up a table at the Ste Rose IGA this May, a table at the Lake Manitoba Narrows community yard sale on June 23rd and once more materials are collected is planning on asking local active seniors if they would like to donate their time to make hats, if we provide the materials.
I am so proud of Ryder and his efforts and as long as he is passionate about this project I will continue to support him and crochet away!
Thank you
Organizer
Rhonna Rodriguez
Organizer
Oakview, MB
