The Lemonade Toy Project - Calling Knitters, Crocheters, Sewers

The Lemonade Toy Project

Formerly known as The Lemonade Blanket Project

My Inspiration

click on the image above to go to alexslemonade.org

Have you heard about Alexandra "Alex" Scott? She was a 4 year old girl determined to find a cure for childhood cancers. 

Alex was a little girl with cancer. She decided that she was going to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to make better medicine to help all children. Alex and the Amazing Lemonade Stand  is a picture book written by Alex's parents telling her story. 

click on the above image to go to amazon.com 

I am an elementary school teacher and an avid knitter. In the winter of 2012, inspired by Alex's story, my fifth grade students held a fundraiser for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation called "Collect Coins for Cancer." My students raised $4,865.00 for the foundation. During the time of our fundraiser I asked my contact person if anyone was knitting blankets for the children who were impacted by childhood cancer. The answer I received was, "No." That is when I decided to begin "The Lemonade Blanket Project." The Lemonade Blanket Project collected handmade blankets for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation to be distributed to children who have been impacted by childhood cancer. More than 75 blankets were provided through the kindness, love, and generosity of knitters, crocheters, sewers, and quilters. Joyfully, the foundation has informed me that all of the children they serve have received a blanket, and they have extras for any future child who may need one.

Every year, in December, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation holds a Heroes' Dinner for the children. I thought that this year we could provide a hand knitted, crocheted or sewn stuffed toy for each child. 

If you are interested in helping please knit, crochet or sew a stuffed toy for a child. Any color is fine. Please no buttons or other materials that could be a choking hazard. Kindly use hypoallergenic polyfill, and please make the toy huggable, not huge.

Completed stuffed toys can be sent to:

The Lemonade Blanket Project

133 Kiel Ave.

Kinnelon, NJ 0740

Thank you!
Terry                                        

Relieved from Duty

After I finished the scarf for New Jersey's special olympics I saw on facebook that there were several other states in need of scarves. I scanned through the list for the state whose "must receive by" date was the latest. I discovered that was Alaska, giving me about a month to knit a scarf. Thinking that was plenty of time, I pledged to knit one scarf, printed a pattern and started to knit. I did knit - every night, but with four days to go until the scarf needed to be mailed I found myself about eighteen inches short. I began to visualize myself knitting while I was just about doing everything else, as well as knitting late into the night. My husband commented, "I didn't know that knitting could be so stressful." Sunday, during a knitting break, I went onto facebook and discovered a post that said that Alaska had received more scarves than it needed. I felt as if the weight of the world was lifted from my shoulders. I am truly thankful for all the wonderful knitters who were able to get their scarves completed and sent on time. You know, those amazing people who are able to manage their time so incredibly well. As a knitter I really want to knit for charity, but I am finding it difficult when there is a deadline. I think I have all this time, but in reality it never quite seems to be enough time. That seems to be the case for many others things in my life. Time - I always seem to be fighting time. I felt that God said, "Your intentions were good, and that was all I needed. You are relieved of your promise." Thank You, God. Now for the Knit 1, Bless 2 blanket I pledged to complete by May 31 . . .