Wondering what's in store for Team Yarn this fall? We took some time during the August 2013 meeting to decide where our donations will go for the next few months.

AUGUST 2013 -
Hats and other items to Amplatz Children's Hospital

Update: We contacted Amplatz about delivering hats in August, and this was their reply:

"Thanks for thinking of us again.  The children are LOVING the hats you provided from the previous donation!  Due to the season, we are currently giving them away at a slower rate and don’t have much storage at the moment.  But please keep us in mind in the future, as I know they will go quickly as the weather becomes cooler."
  

SEPTEMBER 2013 -
Hats and other items to Woodwinds Health Campus in Woodbury, Minn.

Update: We will be delivering hats at Woodwinds on 9/10/2013. This was the response from the email we sent to them inquiring about their need for hats:

"Thank you So Much for thinking of Woodwinds!  I enjoyed looking through your blog and Isanti News article.  You are a treasure!  Our cancer care department can Always use hats!  We often run short of prayer shawls too even though we had a group that meets the last Tuesday of the month 6-8pm in one of our conference rooms."

OCTOBER 2013 -
Hats and other items to Harbor Room, Cambridge Medical Center. We will be dropping off items AFTER the October meeting. So, items donated at the September and October meetings will go to the Harbor Room.

* As this month will mark the 1-year anniversary of the death of Amy's mom, Cheryl Slater, we thought it would be nice to return to the Harbor Room, a place that helped her so much during her cancer journey. I (Tesha) plan to make a few items this month in Cheryl's favorite color, purple, as well.

NOVEMBER 2013 -
Work on shawls and afghans

DECEMBER 2013 -
Work on shawls and afghans

JANUARY 2014 -
Donate shawls and lapghans to Our Lady of Peace: Home, Health and Hospice in St. Paul, MN

* After the death of a loved one, certain possessions become keepsakes for those left behind, things like handmade shawls and lapghans. We would like to bring some last comfort to those who are dying, and also to the family members as they grieve. Towards that end, we would like to focus on making shawls and lapghans this fall/early winter. We will donate them in January 2014 and mark the 1-year anniversary of Team Yarn. Will you join us in this endeavor?

I can't tell you all how much I appreciate our meet-ups once a month. I just love sitting on the wide, covered patio there at Silverwood Park, working on projects and comparing notes. It's such a relaxing time. I feel like we are all together for a purpose, and that encourages and rejuvenates me.

Mary wasn't able to stay, but she dropped off a great hat!

Mary models her slouch hat. Cute!

I think we all felt this way when we touched this shawl!

Look at those great hats!

Kelli McCully teaches her sister Susie how to crochet. We are all willing to give lessons during our meet-ups. So don't let the lack of knowledge stop you from coming!

Susie's project

Amy works on her Cabbage Patch hat.

The finished Cabbage Patch Hat! Amy and her family came for the Team Yarn meeting from 1-3, and hung out at Silverwood for the rest of the day, enjoying the Roe Family Singer concert later that night.

This month's kids project was to build a mobile.

Team Yarn received a lovely Thank You card from Amplatz Children's Hospital! Your donations are SO appreciated! See for yourself...

Saphire Anderson

Meet Amy Pass's second cousin, Saphire Anderson, who is battling the same blood disease Amy's mom Cheryl Slater had.

Saphire's dad and Amy's cousin, Daniel (Spider) Anderson, was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia MDS (Myelodysplastic Syndrome) on Sept. 25th of 2012. Spider has undergone chemotherapy, radiation, bone marrow transplant, and several life-saving surgeries due to complications. He just passed his 100 day check-up, and is doing well! 

Unfortunately, his daughter, Saphire, was also diagnosed with MDS, and recently underwent a bone marrow transplant at Mayo in June 2013. 

Levi, Daniel's 9 year old son, was also diagnosed with MDS, and is expected to undergo a bone marrow transplant sometime around November 2013. 

Daniel was self-employed and has already been unable to work full time for more than 8 months. His wife, Jackie, has taken an extended leave of absence from her job with Webster Public Schools in order to care for her family. Austin, Daniel's 16-year-old son, spent some time in MN while Daniel was undergoing treatment and is now back home in SD, helping his dad take care of things at home while Saphire is at Mayo.

Amy, her cousin Jenn Johnson and I took a trip down to visit with Saphire and her mother Jackie in late June. We were so impressed by these two amazing women! They have such strength and courage.

Saphire and her little brother on her first trip out of the hospital in Rochester

Sapphire and her aunt Deanna, who shaved her head in support of her brother Danny and of Saphire. In a few weeks, Deanna begins her own treatment.

Saphire, about a week into her chemotherapy treatment in preparation for her bone marrow transplant. We went down with a selection of Team Yarn hats in her favorite color blue, and let her pick her favorites.

FAVORITE COLOR
blue

FAVORITE SONG
“Fall” by Clay Walker

FAVORITE QUOTE
It don't get better, you just get better at handling it.

DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN 3 WORDS
Short, positive, and strong.

IF YOU COULD TAKE A TRAIN TRIP ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE W0ULD YOU WANT TO GO? WHY?
Australia, to see all the interesting animals and the way people live.

IF YOU COULD NAME A MOUNTAIN AFTER ANYONE, WHOM WOULD YOU CHOOSE? WHY?
My dad. Because life is a climb but he made it to the top.

WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO SPEND A RAINY DAY?
My farm

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT LIVING IN A SMALL TOWN IN SOUTH DAKOTA?
Knowing everyone and everywhere.

IF YOU COULD CREATE YOUR OWN VANITY PLATE USING 8 LETTERS OR NUMBERS, WHAT WOULD IT SAY?
Strength

Kelli McCully sent Amy and I this note yesterday:

As promised, the pics of D., the woman who received the hat I made early on in Team Yarn's existence (my second or third hat, I believe). She also sent me a lovely note. In case you can't read it: 

"Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness and 'above and beyond' the call for people you've never met. The cap was such a day brightener & I love the color - also very comfortable. Work you do for cancer patients not only helps raise self esteem but keeps our heads warm." 

Well, she warms my heart. My friend who had requested the hat said that when he delivered it, she immediately removed whatever she had on her head and declared her new hat much softer and wore it instead.