HELP ........ Please

Since we last chatted, life has taken a terrible turn.  We all knew Saturday would be hot and there were northerly winds expected (the bad kind) - 5 minutes ago the head of Police in Victoria announced that 173 people are now officially dead as a direct result of all the fires since Saturday, but we know this figure will increase.

I have lived up here since 1997, every Summer is hard, but somehow this one was going to be a worry.  On Saturday I experienced the worst day, all the worry that things could go bad at any minute.  I had to get some fuel for my car and drove up to our local station about 15 minutes away - saw 2 police cars driving around (looking out for bad people who think it's a blast to start fires), which was a comfort, at the petrol station I found out that our morning power cut was a result of twigs falling on power lines 3 roads away from our farm, sparks started flying and 2 CFA (fire) trucks were there in minutes.  So I drove home feeling comforted that the good guys were looking out for us.  And then I started to turn into a road just before mine, it's a high one (we live in a low area surrounded by trees so don't have much of a view) and there before me was the biggest mushroom cloud, white at the top, grey underneath and billowing outwards from the bottom.  I quickly rang BF Keri who lives nearby and told her to run out to her verandah and look (because of the heat lots and lots of people came unstuck with the fires because we were trying to stay cool inside and had our curtains closed over), the 2 of us just couldn't believe the sight.  I raced home and got Farmer Rowe to come look, but from our house you could barely see the smoke over the tops of our trees, so he had to drive to a neighbours farm higher up to look.  This turned out to be the Bunyip Fires that were the worst on Saturday.  And then we kept hearing of more fires starting up on the other side of our mountain.  We spent all day on the watch for embers (we found loads of burnt leaves that had travelled from the fires in our paddocks).  Then the change came and we could see lightning across the sky, which started more fires (didn't come with any rain), that was particularly scarey time.

Spoke to good friends who were packing up to leave as fires were surrounding their homes, they kept asking when were we going to leave.  I didn't want to go to bed Saturday night as we still had lightning and I was so worried we would have no warning.

On Sunday it was like a different day, no sun, cooler, and thankfully little wind - but it turned out to be the day where the worst of it happened.  We had calls from my Sister In Law who is up near Benalla, she had heard on the CFA radio (her husband is Fire Captain up there) that fires were reported in our town - I belive that the good guys had hung around and were putting out loads of fires before they became too big.  Farmer Rowe's brother is an accountant by day, Fire Captain always and had been called in to the worst fire so far to control the strike team - we are very proud of him.

I could go on and on, but instead I need to do something pro-active.

Firstly, if you are in Victoria and shop at IGA, you can ask for your shopping points to go directly to the CFA so they can get supplys for the fire-fighters - doesn't cost you a thing to do.

Apparently I have just heard that Coles Supermarkets are donating all profits on Friday to the Fire Fund, so if you need to do your shopping, save it up till Friday and make sure your Coles store is contributing.  Again this doesn't cost you a thing to do.

Give Blood, apparently they are in good supply of blood at the moment, but with so many burns victims they will need the plasma as well for their recovery - so give blood wherever you can, again this doesn't cost you a thing.

There will be a lot of homes (currently more than 700) that need to be rebuilt, think how many quilts would be needed.  So if you are in a sewing group through friends, or through a store, why not get your stashes together (after all what a wonderful use of those fabrics you had to buy, but have not yet used) and make up some quilts, I will look into where such things could be donated.  These people have nothing at all, how wonderful to be wrapped in a quilt made with love.  I'm not talking fancy quilts, scrappy ones look great, just get out your machines, cut up squares and start sewing what you can.

And lastly I needed to do something from Wildcraft Farm.  While we are still here safe I wanted to contribute something.  A few years ago I was designing a new Kit In A Card on the day that Canberra burnt.  I named the applique "Country Angel" and sold her as a charity card to shops, $2.50 from every sale to a store was donated to the ladies who supported the fire crews (CFA) with food and drinks - by the way, do you know that all the CFA members are usually locals to the area they are fighting the fires, and they are volunteers, they have given up paid days at their real jobs to do this for no money at all - they are true heroes.  Anyway I think Country Angel raised about $4,000.  Then a few years ago I wanted to do something for the Jane McGrath Breast Cancer Foundation, so I designed a gorgeous lady and turned her into a Kit In A Box, $4 from every kit sold went to the charity, we raised just a few dollars short of $4,000.

I remember talking to a Manager of one of the fabric suppliers (no names) and he said that I was donating too much (this was the $4 Kit In A Box), only needed to do a small amount, buy still say I was donating, he had a range of fabrics that were well advertised as being a charity fabric, with money going directly to the charity, but he told me it was only .10 cents a metre that he had to give - this is on an item that at the time was selling in the stores for $28 per metre.  I told him that the great part about owning your own business was being able to make charitable donations that you felt good about.

So I'm doing something a bit different, rather than sell through the stores, I want some immediate action, plus I want to give as much money as I can.  So the following 3 items are available directly from ME, every cent will be donated to the CFA to help the firefighters.  As these are current items I'll just do it for the next 2 weeks, or until sold out.  Prices are a little lower than retail, and I'll just add the basic postage price to you.

 This is Grace, A Redwork Kit In A Card (The greeting card with the screenprinted kit inside).  Make for yourself, make and give to a friend, send to a friend as a gift - make up with red and white scrap fabrics and turn into a quilt.  You can purchase this for only A$12.00 (plus postage).

 

Once again, this little lady is out to do good for the CFA (because they are all country angelsj).  She is a Kit In A Card, all applique fabrics, threads, button, pattern, even the vliesoflex is inside the greeting card.  And you can have her for A$12.00 (plus postage).

 

And then there are Angel Notes.  A screenprinted panel with lots of Angelic sayings, then a pattern to trace off up to dozens of variations of angel stitcheries.  Lots of threads, needle, interfacing, instructions, patterns come with the screenprint.  Possible to turn into a fantastic scrappy quilt, or dozens of little projects.  And it only costs A$20.00 (plus postage).

Email me directly with your details and I think the quickest and easiest way to pay is via credit card (I'll cover the credit card fees) - you can send in one email, or over 2 if you want to split up the credit card numbers and expiry.  Can I ask that you tell everyone you think may be interested, via blog or through your sewing friends.  I would love us, as a collective group, to help these good guys out, who do it all because ..... I don't know, I just wish the world was full of more of these people.

I've just remembered I have some screenprints left over from the old Chatterbox Club days, so I'll pop one of those in with every package going out as an extra little thank you.  I will also donate all the money raised in the name of "The Chatterboxes".

Please send all your positive thoughts out to those who have lost everything and those still fighting fires.  Farmer Rowe has just told me he's going to move our caravan to a friend's farm, so if our house goes up we still have somewhere to live ... I can't even bare the thought.

Stay safe wherever you are ............ hugs, Janet xxxxxxx

 - all items pictured are bound by copyright of Wildcraft Farm, absolutely no copying allowed -

Comments

[simone de klerk]

What a wonderful thing to do, Janet! I will email you, to be able to contribute to a teeny tiny support. Take very good care and I hope all is over very quick!

[Suzanne]

Janet...I have been so worried about you. We are collecting and making quilts at the shop in readiness to send to affected areas in Victoria. I have also put up a Fire Fund Appeal page to raise $ for the CFA. All proceeds from the sale of these patterns will be sent direct to CFA. We want all of the $ to be spent on the people who need it; not the adminstrative side of things. Everyone can help with the administration, the special ones can fight fires and we need to do absolutely everything to help them.

I am so glad that you, the Farmer, and Jessica are safe from what can only be imagined.

Take care my friend.

Suzanne

[Julz]

Janet, as a local i know all too well where you are coming from. The CFA do an unbelievable job as do all the other volunteers. I know Karen @ Mrs Martin's in Monbulk is setting up as a go between for people wanting to donate quilts or quilt blocks and she is trying to arrange to get them to where they need to go. Maybe you could link up with her? Stay safe and our thoughts are with all.

[julie]

beautiful idea janet!!
now to decide which one i'd like to buy?
also great idea re sending 2 emails to split up cc numbers.
i'll be in touch.
julie :)

[Riches Stitches]

What a wonderful way to help out. It is easy to feel helpless in a situation like this, so thank you for providing a way in which we can help out. I have email you with a purchase.
Jane 8o)

[Margi]

From the United States, we send our prayers to all of you. We know how terrible and devastating fires can be. Please take all precautions necessary and remember that your life is priceless. Things can be replaced.
Blessings, Margi
Janet I will email you with a purchase what a wonderful thing to do...Thank You