Story 7

WUA! Retail Sponsors

• Ames Customers & Associates Warm Up America!

In 1998, Ames customers and associates knitted and crocheted more than 120,000 sections for Warm Up America! which were assembled to make 2,500+ afghans. Many people completed entire afghans. All were donated to homeless shelters, battered women's shelters, hospitals and a variety of social service agencies in communities that Ames stores service. Tallies for last year are still coming in, but early returns show continued strong support from Ames associates and customers.

Last year Ames' President and CEO Joe Ettore commented: “We were very pleased with the response to last year's Warm Up America! campaign. Customers throughout the chain showed their dedication to helping their communities. We hope to see similar results this year with customers helping their neighbors face a warmer winter.” And respond they did.

Customer Joyce Robinson, Millinocket, ME, picked up WUA! again when she saw the announcement in her local Ames store. Joyce and several other women started meeting once a week to help put squares together. They completed nine afghans and have been going strong ever since. The bonus: they have become fast friends in the process.

Ames customer Gail Githens (Hamburg, NY) wishes WUA! was a year-round project at Ames. Gail brought the idea to the activity director at Crestwood retirement community. Many residents got involved and have been continuously knitting and crocheting squares. Though Ames does not have a box to collect squares all of the time, the crafts manager still accepts them. Some of the Crestwood residents involved are Mary Winters, Leona Maziarz, Helen Bonar and Grace Grimes.

Cecilia Passieu and friends gathered weekly at the Robinson Towne Center Ames to work on WUA! Afghans.

Return to index | Home

WUA! Retail Sponsors...

• Pittsburgh Ames Store Donates 135 Afghans!

Thanks to photographer Cecilia Passieu, we have this picture of seven of her friends who meet every Wednesday at the Robinson Towne Center Ames, Robinson Township in Pittsburgh, PA, to work on Warm Up America! This amazing group, with the support of the Ames Crafts & More staff, has completed and donated over 135 afghans. Cecilia wrote:

"It was just amazing to see how everyone we have donated to was so appreciative. At the Lite of Life Mission, you would have thought we had given them gold; the seniors in the home did not think that anyone cared about them. It is so nice to know we're helping others in some small way, besides, we enjoy our Wednesdays together. If it were not for ŒWarm Up America!,' we would have never gotten into a program. Thank you so much."

In addition to donating 30 afghans to Lite of Life Mission, Cecilia and her friends have given afghans to Bethel Park Start Program, Holy Family Institute, Travelers Aid and Society of Pittsburgh, Children's Hospital, Odyssey Health Care, Salvation Army and Mariner Health West Hills.

At the Bethel Park store in Village Square near Pittsburgh, Ames store manager Thomas Allen and associates gathered with members of AARP #506 (Betty Bobinyer, Bernice Simpson, Sara Seidel, Florence D'Antoni and Thelma Stump) to present 21 WUA! afghans to Ann McStay from The Hearth, a woman's shelter in North Hills, PA.

The Council also has received some wonderful notes from other Ames participants. For instance, we were delighted to hear from Nellie Wenzel from the St. Paul's Lutheran Child Care, Glen Burnie, MD. Children from Nellie's crochet class made squares and she joined them together. The children in the class, second to fifth graders, included: Gina Cowell, Michelle Dishop, Ashley Hartman, Autumn Herrin, Susanna Kitchen, Lyndsie LaFleur, Samantha Lighthiser, Jack Perdue, Kim Phillips, Erica Richardson, and Kelsey Squires.

Georgialee Heffner, Crafts & More Manager at the Ames, Timonium, MD, store mentioned that thanks to the generosity of customers and associates, 10 afghans were donated to the House of Ruth in nearby Baltimore, MD, at Christmas.

But the letter that touched us the most was from Annie Farnsworth, Raymond, ME, who reminded us of using every day to make something good happen. She told us she was searching for a creative outlet after the birth of her child. Though the demands of motherhood were overwhelming, she was determined to do something to help others. That's when she saw a WUA! “Take 5 Minutes” brochure in her local Ames store. Here's a portion of Annie's letter and the lessons she shared:

Lesson #1: Take the first step--...I didn't know how to knit or crochet, but I did have five minutes here and there when the baby is asleep...and I used that time to teach myself how to knit and crochet...My goal was to make just one perfect rectangle to send you. My first attempts were...more like trapezoids.

Lesson #2: People are willing to help if you ask--But I got better... And my new goal became making a whole afghan. I wrote to our local newspaper's “Clearinghouse” column, telling people what I was doing and asking for any leftover yarn they might want to donate. Lots of people sent me yarn.... cont. on pg. 4

Lesson #3: Friends can be found in the most unexpected ways--One woman, who is 87 years old, continues to send me yarn, and even finished rectangles to add to my afghan. We continue to write notes to each other...

Lesson #4: Doing good for others is contagious--Other people wrote to me asking for more information about WUA! I made photocopies of your brochure and sent them out to people who asked, and I like to think that I helped inspire others to start their own projects for WUA!

I have learned to really value my time and not waste it, because now I know that even the greatest projects begin the same way, by taking that first small step. So thank you for being there when I needed to take the first step from being a sort of depressed mom sitting at home with a baby wondering what good I was, to a person who is enthused about life and using every day to make something good happen. I hope this afghan will warm up someone who really needs it.”

Annie, along with her husband, founded their own charitable foundation to support animal causes, the arts and community service. Return to top | Home

WUA! Retail Sponsors...

• Rag Shop Starts a “Chain” Reaction

It just takes a good cause like Warm Up America! to bring people of all ages together. That's what has amazed Cathy Owens, Manager of Rag Shops in Orange Park, FL. “Warm Up America! just mushroomed. One person told another and then another, and soon we had hundreds of knitted and crocheted sections.” A group of co-workers from Sprint Conference Line in Jacksonville generated dozens of sections, as well as completed afghans. She was especially delighted to receive a call from Ann Adam-Clark, leader for Girl Scout Cadet Troop 523, saying her group wanted to help, too.

This is the third year that Rag Shops, a chain of 65+ stores located in Florida and the Northeast, has sponsored Warm Up America!

Rag Shops' WUA! Promotion during the summer of 1998 also was responsible for involving residents of the Holland Christian Home Association, a retirement village in North Haledon, NJ. And, oh boy, what that set in motion.

Resident Doris Jane Lucas was the first to hear about WUA! She thought it would appeal to her neighbors, but she had no idea how much. The activity took off like wildfire. In a letter to CYCA offices, Doris Jane explained, “The topic of conversation at the Coffee Shop these days is not one's health, but rather one's accomplishments: ŒHow many blocks have you crocheted so far?' And supervisors report after evening rounds that residents who were formerly asleep are now up watching the Late Show and making Warm Up America! blocks.” Return to top | Home

 

	New Jersey State Senator Henry McNamara (c.) accepts WUA! afghans on behalf of the National Guard from (l. to r.) Holland Christian Home Administrator Joseph Scillieri, residents Esther Van Karen and Alert Van Grow, and CEO Andrew Lee. The afghans were presented to Kosovo refugees.
	New Jersey National Guard troops load boxes of WUA! afghans on truck bound for Ft. Dix.

The Holland Christian Home Association has averaged 10 afghans a month, donating over 200. Donations have been made to American Red Cross Mid Atlantic Ministries, Good Shepherd Mission, St. Joseph Hospital, O'Neal Clinic, Pediatric Oncology Hackensack Hospital, to mention a few.

Fifteen of their afghans were donated to Kosovo refugees who were housed temporarily at Ft. Dix. Grateful New Jersey National Guardsmen picked up the boxed afghans and New Jersey State Senator Henry McNamara visited the Home to accept the afghans on behalf of the National Guard.

Afghans from Holland Christian Home also have been sent to Nicaraguan earthquake victims, as well as flood victims closer to home in Bound Brook, NJ, which was devastated by Hurricane Floyd. Recipient Virginia Kunkle wrote:

Dear Ladies from the Holland Christian Home,

Thank you so very much for the beautiful afghan you contributed to the Salvation Army. The colors are fantastic! It cheers me up every time I look at it. It is warm too. You did a fine job and I really appreciate getting it.

My husband and I were hurt very badly from the flood here in Bound Brook. As we were living on the first floor of our home, we lost everything. Thank you so much. Return to top | Home

WUA! Retail Sponsors...

• Jo-Ann Stores Enlarges the Warm Up America! Family

Jo-Ann Stores, all 1,050 traditional fabrics and crafts stores as well as the new mega-craft etc stores, kicked off sponsorship of WUA! in early February. To many stores in the chain, the response was a surprise.

“Our opening event was slow,” recalls Martha Saino, Community Education Team Leader for Jo-Ann's Madison, TN, etc store. “It was held on a weekday evening and the weather was bad. I just had no idea how it would blossom.” And grow it did, thanks to generous employees and customers and coverage in the local media. “People started bringing in bags of sections,” continues Martha, like Khadisha Rose, an employee who contributed 75 sections and a lap rob. “It was overwhelming; their generosity literally brought tears to my eyes. And they didn't expect any thank you's, they were selfless.”

At press time 35 WUA! afghans had been donated, which represents approximately 1,700 sections. They provided warmth to Madison Children's Home, Madison Domestic Violence Center and to Shepherd's Center, an elderly outreach program. For participants, Martha made up little kits with a welcome letter and information about WUA! Those who left their names also received a thank-you note and certificate of appreciation.

Manager of the Fairlawn, OH, Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts Store Janis Wise had a similar surprise. “In my four years at the store, I cannot think of any other program that resulted in such positive customer interest. It began with a trickle of contributions and ended with contributions of bags full of sections.” The store has completed five afghans to date and Janis is already thinking about ways to expand the project, such as suggesting that local Girl Scout leaders and senior centers get involved. Along with generous customers, Janis and many of the store associates made squares as well.

WUA! was not a new program to the Jo-Ann's Fabrics & Crafts store in Waldorf, MD. “We've actually been involved for over a year,” explains Manager Debbie Roh. “A local group of volunteers was looking for a meeting place and we opened our back room to them. Every Tuesday they have been meeting at the store and, to date, have completed between 70 and 80 afghans, contributing them to a local nursing home.” The group, which can be as large as 20 people, feels right at home. Debbie even has shelves set aside so they can sort and stack their afghans in progress.

Jo-Ann Stores that were unable to hold joining parties are shipping sections to headquarters in Hudson, OH, where the corporate staff is getting involved too. Instructors will show Jo-Ann Stores' team members how to join the sections and the finished afghans will be donated to local charities. Jo-Ann Stores have made WUA! a tremendous team effort! Return to top | Home

• Michaels Stores Rally Customers and Associates

From January 2 to February 13th of this year, 550 Michaels stores sponsored Warm Up America!, rallying associates and customers and completing an estimated 110,000 sections. At nationwide joining parties on February 17th, approximately 2,211 afghans were completed with each store donating them locally.

Michaels' Leanne Hammond reports that overall customer response was good. At the Michaels store in Hurst, TX, manager Cathy Smith concurred. “We just put the collection bin at the front of the store and people started contributing. It helped that we had several associates who are avid crocheters and talked up the program, and,” she adds, “ we had one very special customer, Nell Meeks, who assembled all of the sections into six large-size afghans, plus completed another afghan, assembling squares she had made.”

We caught up with Nell to thank her for a job well done. She shared how she added stitches to sections that were too small and took out stitches from the larger ones to make them fit together. “I tried to use bright-colored variegated yarn for joining because it added color and then I crocheted around the outside edges to finish them properly.” She was delighted to learn that the afghans were donated to the Salvation Army in Ft. Worth.

At the Orange Park, FL, Michaels store, event coordinator Virginia Vargarson reported her Warm Up America! program was “fantastic,” resulting in a mountain of sections and many completed afghans. Word of mouth advertising (Virginia was friendly with members of several local women's clubs), along with in-store signage got the ball rolling at the Orange Park store. “We also had information about Quigley House next to the collection bin, noting that the afghans were going to be donated to this local battered women's shelter,” explains Virginia. “Along with numerous individuals, we had three church groups, a sewing club and even one customer who was recovering from surgery helping out.” She estimates 75+ customers got involved. Two joining parties were held at the store. Fifty-three afghans were completed and another eight were in the works at press time.

Because customers were so enthusiastic and wanted to keep WUA! going year-round, Virginia has made arrangements with Quigley House to hold joining parties every three months. She also worked closely with the Michaels Mandarin, FL, store, and Orange Park volunteers helped join their sections as well.

At the Mission Viejo, CA, Michaels store, associate Rekha Shirghokar also found that the program did not end in mid-February as expected because customers kept bringing in sections. Rekha, who works in the yarn department, volunteered to join many of the sections. Twelve afghans had been assembled at press but more were coming in. Return to top | Home

WUA! Retail Sponsors...

• Wal-Mart Cares

This is the third year that Wal-Mart stores have sponsored Warm Up America! nationwide, but the Menomonee Falls, WI, Wal-Mart store has been sponsoring the program for six years. Yarn manager Nancy Kolasinski first learned about Warm Up America! when she visited program founder Evie Rosen in Wausau, WI. “I thought it was a wonderful program then and I still do,” says Nancy. In the past six years, she has rallied associates, customers and five retirement communities to adopt the program, and together they have completed and donated 800 afghans. In 1999 alone, the group completed 186 afghans.

Nancy reports, “I'm still as enthused as I was when I first stepped into Evie's shop.” And backed by an extremely supportive management staff‹Store Manager Robert Schultheis, District Manager Dale Murphy and Regional Vice President Del Sloneker‹she is looking forward to continuing the program.

Special thanks to the volunteers at the Aboretum, Jollyaire, Tamarack Place and Wildwood communities for making the Menomonee program such a success. And thanks to the Greater Milwaukee chapter of The Knitting Guild of America for adopting Warm Up America!, which has created new interest in the program, according to Nancy. WUA! afghans were distributed to Hope House, Friends of the Abused, St. Peters Rescue Mission, St. Boniface Church and several other agencies in the Milwaukee area.

Just as enthusiastic is the WUA! group at Derby Wal-Mart Supercenter in Derby, KS. Organized by Cheryl Eddy, known around the store as “Crazy Cheryl,” “Retailtainment” Coordinator (she maintains contact between the three shifts of workers at the Derby store) and Fabric Department Manager Paula Prince, Warm Up America! has grown over the past two years. As Cheryl explains: “Paula got a bunch of associates interested in the program and they started making granny squares. They'd get together at her home for joining parties and the program just grew from there. Customers started bringing in bags of squares, many brought in completed afghans, and many others helped us join the sections.”

Paula has been amazed at how the program has just kept growing. “It just doesn't stop. People feel good about doing it. Our associates and supportive management have been invaluable,” she comments. The WUA! afghans are donated to area nursing homes, especially to residents without families.

To thank the very special group of volunteers who have been tireless in their Warm Up America! efforts, Cheryl helped to organize a special morning meeting at the store this winter. Receiving special certificates of thanks along with Paula and Cheryl were associates: Charlet Smith, Mary Sarver, Delma Rutjes, Marie Star, Ellen Piepho, Bernice Wray, Vallie Gruber, Carol Anne Weigle. Karen Terry and Carol Eidson. Customers receiving certificates were: Veta Brockett, Ms. George Ramsey and her daughter, and Emili Williams. “Because of dedicated associates and customers who care, we are making a difference in the communities we touch,” concludes Cheryl.

Lots of other Wal-Mart stores were busy with WUA! too. For instance, the Sheridan, AR, store showed its appreciation to volunteers like Billie Harris, who contributed 32 sections to the program, with a special meeting in the yarn department, where the finished afghans were on display. Special thanks to manager Curtis Hay for supplying and donating yarn to the project.

And the Craft Yarn Council received this letter from Thomas B. Arnold, Administrator for Veterans Home of California-Chula Vista:

“Things in Chula Vista, CA, are warming up, thanks to your “Warm Up America' program. Because of your program and some special Wal-Mart associates and customers, the future residents of the Home are recipients of twelve beautiful handmade afghans...According to Lewis Harris, the Crafts Department Manager for Wal-Mart, the outpouring of support and cooperation for this effort was astounding. Mira Decker, demo coordinator, put together the team of volunteers...On February 3, Wal-Mart store manager Joe Aguilar and co-manager Mary Foster presented the afghans to me. The finished results speak for themselves!... A special touch for our very special veterans!”

Return to top | For more stories | Home