by Ruth Volk

Current Needs
The South Metro work group focuses primarily on newborn bundles. A year ago we were doing about 40 bundles per month; by late 2003/early 2004 we are assembling as many as 54 bundles per month. This may be typical throughout 2004, given the growing community needs and reduced agency funding. Below are items needed every month to meet these growing needs:

• Newborn Sleepers and Gowns (100 of each per month)
• Receiving blankets, bibs, and burp cloths (100 of each per month)
• Diaper Bags, blankets or afghans, and crib sheets (50 per month)
• Jackets (50 per month) - the new hooded sweatshirt with raglan sleeves is preferred - pattern available in the new pattern set (contact your work group coordinator)
• T-shirts - when funds permit we buy T-shirts at minimal cost from a local manufacturer, in order to relieve some of the sewing burden; sewn t-shirts are always welcome, though - 100 per month
• Baby care items - most needed are diapers, wipes, and baby soap or shampoo
• "Nice-to-haves" - bottles, pacifiers, teething rings, diaper rash ointment, and socks
• Yarn – all kinds and all colors, not just baby yarn - with heavy or rug yarn we make crocheted diaper bags
• Cotton fabric for sheets and quilt backing (at least one yard in length)
• Flannel for receiving blankets, bibs and burp cloths
• Cutting help
• Help loading and hauling items needed for the Apple Valley meetings - either prior to the meeting from about 8:30-10:00am, and/or at the end of the meeting from 1:00pm until about 2:30pm.
  

Special Activities and News
All South Metro bundle assembly of finished items is done at the Apple Valley work meetings, the 3rd Saturday of every month. If you haven't seen this process, please stop by sometime for a look at the amazing abundance of generous donations. Anyone can help assemble!

Monday evening sewing meetings are held at my home in Eagan, the first Monday of every month, 6:30 PM to 9 PM. For more info e-mail Ruth.Volk@bundlesoflove.org.

See other articles featuring South Metro work groups meeting in Minnetonka (Seniors group), Minneapolis (neighborhood group), and Lakeville (Cross of Christ Church).

Special Needs
Preemie Needs: We have ongoing preemie clothing needs for various hospitals, and occasionally receive special requests for multiple birth preemies. Preemie patterns are included in the new pattern set, available at any work meeting. Parents have expressed appreciation in particular for the open front preemie gown and the preemie sleeper. If you are unable to attend the meetings to obtain a pattern set, contact your work group coordinator. Please send us a small donation ($5 suggested) to cover printing and mailing costs (if you are able).

The South Metro group plans to help the quintuplet boys expected this spring. We also helped the quints last spring, and preemie twin girls last summer. Here is a note of response from the twins' grandmother:

Thank you to your wonderful organization!!!! My daughter-in-law and son received a bundle of love from your group on Wednesday afternoon. What a tremendous blessing! I was there yesterday and Kate showed me all that you had sent. She could have cried when showing them to me. The babies are growing and doing well. I got to feed them and put on new outfits from your group. So cute!!! Quilts are wonderful!!! May God richly bless your group!!! Thank you, Earlene

Special Volunteer Meetings
Thanks to the following groups who held volunteer events for Bundles of Love...

• The Healthy Start group at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota. They made quilts, blankets, and burp cloths—an impressive amount to complete in a one day work session.
• The National Accounts division at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota who have done sewing and donated purchased items for Bundles of Love.
• South Metro volunteer Jennifer Little and Burnsville field agents of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans who helped at our November work meeting and collected donations to purchase a $1500 Wal-Mart gift card for us to use to purchase baby care supplies.
• The St. Kate members of service sorority Lambda Sigma Tau who help us each spring by attending a work meeting and cutting fabric. They also held a special collection for us and donated 143 baby care items last October!
• The National Honor Society of Apple Valley High School made 42 fleece tie blankets to donate to Bundles of Love. The NHS officers officially presented at a November ceremony in front of local media. A photo of the moment, with our president Mary Jo accepting the donation, was in the local Sun Current newspaper.
• The Eagan Hills Alliance AWANA club holds periodic collections for Bundles of Love, resulting in a November 2003 donation of 165 items plus $20, and a February 2004 donation of 148 items. The AWANA club is a children's program that rewards Bible verse memorization with vests and badges, as well as offering fun activities and prizes each week. Good job, kids, and thanks for the generous donations!
  

Special Donations
Two preemie babies were born last fall to co-workers of South Metro volunteer Sharon Moore. We provided 10 preemie items to each of those babies in October, and a bundle to one family as the baby grew into newborn sized cloths.

Through the March of Dimes, South Metro volunteers donated 98 items for the North End Community Shower last fall, including the following:

• 10 Sweaters
• 12 Hooded Jackets
• 50 Hat/Mitten sets - newborn
• 1 Hat - Large
• 25 Afghans
  

Special News!
VolunteerMatch is an online service that helps people looking for volunteer opportunities find an organization that needs their skills (www.volunteermatch.org). Bundles of Love uses VolunteerMatch to help find many of our volunteers. I personally found this organization through VolunteerMatch, and am on their newsletter mailing list.

When they asked for volunteer stories to spotlight in their newsletters, I sent them my own story, which was selected and included in the VolunteerMatch Newsletter first volunteer spotlight in their August 2003 newsletter. This connection led to an interview with US News and World report and a photo and mention in a December 2003 article.

The latest media request was for a new magazine for busy working women called REAL Magazine, which will publish their premiere issue in May 2004, and will feature another volunteer spotlight about me. A portion of each subscription will go to VolunteerMatch.

VolunteerMatch has also contacted the producers of the Oprah show about using my story, since I first heard about VolunteerMatch while watching Oprah. So far there is no reply from Oprah, but stay tuned for future media opportunities, and don't pass up a chance to tell your own story - you never know where it might lead.

Your work in 2003 was nothing short of amazing. Please accept my gratitude for your dedication and hard work throughout the past year. I know we will do even more amazing things in 2004.
--Ruth Volk