Support Sew-a-thons to Prepare for Service Project at District Conference on May 13

 
Consider how your club can help by sponsoring a sew-a-thon in your area OR by donating fabric, washcloths, hotel-size soap, or girls panties sizes 8-16.
Sign up now to help at one of the upcoming Sew-a-thons on Sat. April 9 ain Coon Rapids. (Click Read More for details.) Family members, friends and Interactor are welcome too. Contact Judy Johnson or Todd Bollig for more information.
 
 
People across Districts 5950 and 5960 are teaming up to prepare components for the 450 feminine hygiene kits we'll be making and assembling at the District Conference on May 13. To see more photos, click here.  Pictured here (left to right) are: DG Nominee Irene Kelly (Eden Prairie AM), Alumni Assoc. chair Amanda Ottman, Past DG Tom Thorfinnson (Eden Prairie Noon), and Jennifer Deschaine (Prior Lake).
 
The purpose of these kits is to provide protection to girls so they can attend school and have a more dignified life.These kits can last 3 years with proper cleaning.  To give a girl 3 more years of schooling will help break the poverty cycle and is instrumental for positive social change in families and in the world.
 
Some of the tasks are sewing flannel liners, waterproof shields and bags, turning fabric and ironing, tracing patterns on fabric, cutting fabric, stringing bags, and putting snaps on the shields. 
Food and drink provided, Bring sewing machine if possible.  Stay as long or as short as you like.
 
Future sew-a-thons (both sewers and now sewers are needed):
  • Saturday, April 9, 8:30-11:30 am  at  Faith Lutheran Church, 11115 Hanson Blvd,  Coon Rapids, MN 55433  (Contact Faye Hovde at fayehovde@gmail.com
On May 13 at the Rotary District Conference we will be assembling these components into kits to be distributed among Rotary clubs are going to remote areas in the world.  So far in two years, we have made distributed 535 kits and they have gone to Bangladesh (Brooklyn Park Rotary), Kenya (North Minneapolis Rotary), Senegal (North Minneapolis Rotary), Gambia (North Minneapolis Rotary), Guatemala (Maple Grove Rotary - Jamie Sledd), India (Bloomington & University Rotary).
 
Our goal for the year is 450 kits and so far we have distributed 235 kits for Rotarians traveling abroad and we have enough components to assemble 300 more kits, so 235 + 300 = 535 kits so we have exceeded our goal which was possible by generous contributions of time and fabric!
 
Thank you so much for your help on this human issue!
If you are able to attend any of these events, please let the contact person know so they can plan for the event (tasks & food).  Questions are welcomed.
 
Key steps to set up a sewathon include:  contacting Judy Johnson to schedule a date, getting a location, inviting people and bringing snacks.  Then Judy comes with 4 machines + lots of cut fabric and tasks for both sewers and non-sewers to do, and we work together to get stuff done.  She trains folks on what to do and helps them out.  She also gives a presentation on Days For Girls and why we are doing this (projector would be nice). 
 
Thank you for your support of this wonderful project.
 
Judy Johnson
Maple Grove Rotary
Jjohnson9730@msn.com
612-296-6658
Feel free to pass this onto others who maybe willing to help