Beads of Courage Needs Acts of Courage Donations

My headline pretty much says it all.  Beads of Courage is low and trying really hard to supply all the hospitals that they are affiliated with.  Is there a chance you can help?  Here is the link to their donation page which also gives you their address, what kind of beads qualify, (just about anything as long as it doesn't have metallics on the surface, sharp edges, annealed and well cleaned.  Pretty easy to find some spares, isn't it?)  And from my experience, kids love the less than perfect ones just as much.  I save mine with the slightly crooked smiles, color experiments or just doodling around, because I know some child will enjoy them very much. (As pictured in the photo above- some of the loot that will be heading their way:)

http://www.beadsofcourage.org/pages/beadartists.htm

Here's a little story.  One time I was visiting one of the Atlanta hospitals with the Beads of Courage program and kids were coming by and picking out a special bead.  There were all kinds of fancy beads in the tray, but a little boy kept pouring through them.  His fingers were moving them around until his face lit up.  He found a very simple but really nice royal blue bead and said this was the very bead he had been dreaming about.  It had no decoration on it, but to him it was just perfect. That was when we were asking the kids to design a Dream Bead and he told me that he had just found his Dream Bead and didn't need anything else.  The beadmaker happened to be present and told him that she had brought two, so you can imagine his delight when he found and got to take the second one as well.

That stuck with me.  We don't have to submit the fanciest beads. Each of us makes something that will touch someone's soul and will be special to them for the rest of their lives.

I'm hoping you'll join me in a donation in the near future.  It makes a big difference to these kids, and I don't know about you, but I get just as much from it as they do.

Just Met Muno

So I recently found out about Yo Gabba Gabba's Muno.  One eyed and quite orange, he was a request for a Dream Bead from Beads of Courage.

When making these beads, I think about the age of the recipient and try to make them so they will be "durable".  The one I made is a little shorter and wider in proportion, but according to some little children, they knew who it was immediately.  Whew!  

Here is quick photo of my bead.

And he's on his way to his new owner as I write.

Beads of Courage is a wonderful program for sick kids. By collecting beads, it gives them and others a visual sense of the journey that they are traveling to get better.   If you aren't familiar with it, you can find it here.   It's so nice as a glass artist to have place that can use my skills to give back to others.  I'm hoping all my glass friends out there  remember this wonderful program and donate beads when they can.  

Ethiopia, Lampwork Glass Beads & HOPE Bracelets

Each year, the non profit organization, HOPE Bracelet Project asks beadmakers from around the world to donate beads which help residents of Yetebon, Ethiopia.

Bracelets are made and sold in the USA from these beads and funds are raised to make an annual trip to Ethiopia to teach students at the Medhame-Alem School. The school teaches vocational and skills to adult men and women which in turn raises the quality of life for their entire community.

This year, beadmaker extroadinaire, Kim Miles and her husband are raising funds to go to Yetebon and teach beadmaking. It's an expensive trek.

Kim is known for generously working with publicizing and donating to this organization. It is through her website (www.kimmiles.com), that we annually sign up to donate 100 bracelet sized beads for this group. Kim's beads are always in demand, and she donates some of her work as prizes for a drawing for people who participate. I was lucky enough to win one a few years ago. Along with many others, I support this annually.

Kim needs help reaching her fundraising goal to get to Africa. I'm hoping that some of my readers will consider donating to her travel fund. She has some lovely jewelry that you can possibly win, if you help out. Here is her donation page, and more explanation. http://cunninghamfoundation.org/kim-miles-fundraiser

And here is the bead donation page, if you would like to help out. You don't need to donate 100 beads, but I'd love it if you joined our group who does. You can find the donation information here.
http://www.kimmiles.com/HOPEBraceletProject.php

Not a beadmaker, but want to donate? There are links for that too. They need other bracelet making supplies & cash as well as Kim's blog (http://greetingsfromtaos.blogspot.com/) has a wishlist from the organizer, The Cunningham Foundation, for the school including items that are specific for classes in biology, math, chemistry, languages and general items like tape recorders, pens, pencils, sports balls and flash drives.

I hope you take a minute to check out some of the links I've provided. There is more information through http://cindybeads.com/projectmercy.htm and http://www.projectmercy.org/