Spring is in the air

Hello crafty friends! 

I hope you are all doing well. Whether March is coming in like a lion or like a lamb where you are, I hope one thing is consistent for us all–a drop in COVID numbers! I am optimistic that as we move into summer, more people will be allowed to visit their hospitalized families and our card needs will pick up. Of course, this will coincide with nice weather, spending more time outside and less time crafting. Luckily, most of our shipping volunteers are well-stocked for now, but If you’re planning to make some cards, please be sure to check out our needs page!

 

Our challenge side is active and March’s challenge is Cards for Boys/Guys. Click the “Challenge” tab to see the great cards from the Design Team and play along. There is always great inspiration from the DT and crafters who upload their card creations!

Happy crafting!

 

 

Farewell 2020, Hello 2021!

Happy new year everyone! I hope everyone is greeting the new year from a safe and healthy place. The new year is often a time of change—of resolutions for new habits, cleaning and organizing, learning a new skill, or taking on new challenges.

 

A significant change around here is our wonderful, long-time director of everything SAS4Kids—Karen H– has decided to step back and pass the torch to a new crew. It’s taken two of us to continue her work and we both hope we live up to her example. She’s been so helpful during the transition and we will always welcome her input and advice. We wish her the best in her future endeavors and will still get to see her lovely cards on our Challenge blog.

 

We also gained two new design team members and the Challenge Blog is going strong! Please check out the latest entries. Are you interested in entering? Click the “Challenges” tab and give it a try! (Be sure to check the “Challenge Rules” page for important information.)

 

Although some of our hospitals did not accept cards last year due to COVID-19, SAS4Kids continued to send smiles to hospitalized kids across the country, and even started sending cards to a new-to-us hospital. As my hospital liaison said, “Now, more than ever, your cards have really helped kids stay connected to their families and friends.” Sending smiles to kids is the reason we exist. 

 

Thank you for checking in and please consider donating, volunteering, or entering our monthly challenges. 

 

Happy New Year!

 

Jen

Announcing A New Volunteer and Two More Children's Hospitals!

We are very happy to announce an additional volunteer has joined the SAS4Kids family and she will be bringing your cards to kids in two children's hospitals in Cincinnati, Ohio. Kris Adams has been bringing her own cards to a local children's hospital and recently contacted us to ask if she could volunteer and we were thrilled. Her smiling face is on the side of our blog now and the address to send your cards to is:

Kris Adams 
1057 Valley Wood Drive
Batavia, OH 45103

Her hospitals are: Shriner's Hospital for Children and Cincinnati Children's Medical Hospital Center, both in Cincinnati, OH. We asked Kris to share some info about herself and she sent this:

I am Kris Adams and I work as a full time corporate recruiter for a manufacturing company, a mom to 2 grown kids and I love to craft! Whether it has been making dollhouses, cross-stitch, ceramics, quilting or stamping, crafting is one of my favorite past times. I have a room dedicated to my crafts and could probably expand to other rooms if I had the chance! I was very excited to find SAS4Kids so I could share my joy of making cards and hopefully put a smile on as many kids’ faces as I can. I have always lived in Cincinnati and am lucky enough that both kids still live in the area. My favorite vacation spot is Panama City Beach, FL - it is my home away from home and I visit at least once a year. 

Kris will put her current needs in the page for that soon (as do all the volunteers so always be sure to check that before sending in your cards), but to start she will need cards for upcoming holidays and every day cheer cards as well as birthday and thank yous. 

We do not post here unless we have news or changes, but Send a Smile 4 Kids is still very much active with challenges every month and many volunteers delivering your cards to our kids. Thanks for all you have done and continue to do to help put smiles on kids faces!

Happy Holidays From Send a Smile 4 Kids!

We have not posted on this side for a while because there haven't been any changes to report. But we are very active on our challenge side, and have been regularly posting current needs and activity in the pages above.

We are just about done collecting cards for the winter holidays (see current needs) and after the first Saturday of December, the design team will have the rest of the month off to have more time to celebrate with family and friends. Soon we will be looking for winter cards and then spring holiday cards. Other general category cards are also needed by some of the volunteers, so keep checking the Current Needs page here.

Two of our volunteers are stepping away due to changes in their lives. We thank Cyndi Amaya and Cathy Cusson for their work on behalf of our hospitalized kids. If you have been mailing cards to these two volunteers, please check our Contact page and pick another volunteer and children's hospital to support.

Thank you for all the cards you have sent for our kids in 2018! Happy Holidays to you and yours and we wish you a happy and healthy New Year!

Stamping Smiles 4 Our Kids, Karen