After I became a crocheter I almost instantly developed a desire to crochet for charity. This desire increased when I began to sew. As a mother of 3 healthy boys and 1 baby girl who went straight to heaven from the womb, I have a natural desire to want to comfort babies.
I don't know about you, but when I think crocheting & sewing for babies, I think blankets.
Blankets + charity = Project Linus. (PL)
I've followed news of PL for a few years now and early on I contacted the chapter organizer listed for my area but never got a response back. I chalked this up to a couple of things: 1) this is a military area, people move on all the time and 2) the PL website was under construction for quite some time & may not have been accurately updated.
I found ways to donate things other ways - at drop off points that were on PL's radar and by simply giving to other charities.
Fast forward to earlier this week, I'm surfing Pinterest and blogs on my lunch hour and decide to go check out what Project Linus is up to these days.
A new improved website & an upcoming national conference, WOW! Very cool I think as I click the chapter listing button to see who I need to contact about participating locally.
When I found my area, the email address looked vaguely familiar & I couldn't help but wonder if it was the one I emailed a few years back? Hmm...maybe yes, maybe no. Either way I sent my inquiry and went back to PL's main page, tickled that I might get to become involved. I'm a nerd like that.
The following day when I hadn't heard back I emailed headquarters too. Antsy much? :) To my mind, this was my 2nd inquiry to very possibly the same email address from before so why waste time waiting for what may not come? In this day and age people check their emails quite often, I mean - do we not get alerts on our cell phone even? Plus, if you are in charge of something, isn't it part of your routine to check daily? Or am I just assuming too much? Maybe I am. One aspect of my day job that requires me to promptly reply to all of my emails - and I would not be exaggerating to say I get nearly 100 daily at work - all valid, all important, all requiring me to say something back. It's possible I put my own conscientiousness off on other people, wanting them to be equally efficient in their jobs. {Antsy AND humble! :) }
Come to think of it, though, I'm getting paid for my work. This gal is not getting paid. Add to that she is probably happy with her group how it is and doesn't really want any newcomers. By Jove, I think I've got it! A little epiphany in the midst of my rant...perhaps that's why her response was so salty?
Here's what I said:
Hi there ~ found your email address on PL chapter site & am wondering
if this is still an active group? I'd like to participate. Thanks!
if this is still an active group? I'd like to participate. Thanks!
And here is the response I (finally) received:
It depends upon your definition of active. We meet monthly for workshops (the next one will be editing out name & location to protect the innocent.) We deliver over 100 blankets per month to the various agencies in the area. Traveling to all these places takes the majority of my time so I don't respond to email immediately. Sorry about that.
It depends on my "definition of active"? Hm. What IS my definition of active. Let's check out my choices:
ac·tive
[ak-tiv]adjective
2.
being in a state of existence, progress, or motion: activehostilities.
4.
having the power of quick motion; nimble: active as a gazelle.
5.
characterized by action, motion, volume, use, participation,etc.: an active market in wheat; an active list of subscribers.
Ok, I pick 1, 2, 3, & 5. (I opt out on 4 because "quick motion" doesn't really apply & let's face it - I'm built for comfort, not speed.)
Then I love how she says "Sorry about that". Really? Because I'm thinking NOT lady.
It's not like she said "Buzz off, we don't take kindly to new members around here..." or "No room at the inn" or anything but I definitely think that my contacting PL HQ is what prompted her to reply at all & that's why she's not saying something more appropriate. You know - like:
"Hi, thanks for your email - so happy to have a new set of hands to participate in this CHARITY FOR BABIES. I'm quite busy so sometimes I don't get the time I'd like to reply..."
Actually, I can think of no less that 5 suitable, kind, appreciative ways she could have responded to me. Instead she offered no more than the location of the next get together and she didn't even bother to add "look forward to meeting you"...What should I expect from the next get together? Do I bring my machine or yarn or whatever blanket I'm working on? Or is it a collection meeting where you bring blankets ready to go? I DON'T KNOW, she didn't offer those kinds of details.
Maybe I caught her on a particularly pissy day, we all have them. Maybe she hasn't had any good lovin' lately??? Who knows. All I know for certain is that her less than gracious response left me feeling I had interrupted her busy life. And I told her so.
OMG, I did. I told her so.
I never do that. I always just let people slide. But not this time. If she is entitled to having her reasons for her salty response, then certainly I am entitled to as well. Good for the goose and all......
I have to tell you, my hubby took a peek over my should in this midst of my little tangent here and I stopped to show him the email. Even he, The Most Un-Offendable Man On Planet Earth who usually lets me know when I'm being ridonkulously sensitive, said (considering it was written by a woman representing a baby-related charity chapter) it was not a very welcoming response. "Borderline snobby" he called her email.
Snobby is a term widely used for a certain older generation of quilters in this area.
Can't say I haven't been warned about them. Can't say I haven't seen them in action at The Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival (where last year they tried to BAN a quilt depicting a pregnant homeless woman by calling it sexually explicit - see below!!). Oh and I have for sure seen them in action pushing other ladies carts out of THEIR precious paths at The Fabric Hut during the annual sale. They are a clique'ish bunch to say the least. Perhaps this local PL chapter is clique-y in the same manner?
When I first moved to Virginia I knew nary a soul, except the in-laws, who I didn't know all that well. Through learning crochet and through starting a meetup group, I met some of the most amazing women who I'm sure will be life-long friends. Together we formed the Hampton Roads SnB and due to not wanting to exclude anyone, we had different group meetings and events on both sides of the water. We had meetings to accommodate the SAHMs with toddlers, we had meetings to accommodate working women - we expanded to include all who wanted to be included - like a giant freaking hug!
My little inquiry into PL did not leave me feeling hugged. Not that I need a hug (I happen to get good lovin') but a little class on her part would have gone a long way.
I guess either way, I got my answer - THIS mama will NOT be participating in THAT chapter.
Strike two for seeking information on Project Linus - not going for a 3rd, not going to be put OUT. There is more than one way to participate in a charity.
Dress A Girl Around The World suits me better. I get to make the girly things in Kaitlyn's honor.
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{{{ Link to "the quilt" from 2011 }}}
