I Feel the Love Project - Nov./Dec. 2012

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I Feel the Love Project Nov./Dec 2012

Children's Hospital Central California

As stated on the home page of CHCC, "We are a not-for-profit, state-of-the-art children’s hospital on a 50-acre campus with a medical staff of more than 525 physicians. In California, we treat more inpatient cases than any pediatric hospital north of San Diego, making us the second largest children’s hospital in the state. 

Our 348-bed facility is one of the 10 largest hospitals of its type in the nation. We are the first children's hospital west of the Rockies to receive Magnet Nursing designation, the highest nursing benchmark in the world, and we are one of fewer than 10 pediatric intensive care units in the nation to have received the Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence. We are also accredited by the Joint Commission. We perform more than 11,000 pediatric surgeries a year and our pediatric and neonatal intensive care units have some of the lowest mortality rates in the country while treating some of the sickest kids.

Our Cancer Center is a member of the nationally recognized Children’s Oncology Group, and sees more than 100 new cases a year. Our Willson Heart Center has pioneered pediatric heart care for over 50 years. The mission of Children's Hospital Central California is to provide high quality, comprehensive healthcare services to children, regardless of their ability to pay, and to continuously improve the health and well-being of children."

The I Feel the Love Project will be making Christmas Cards during the months of November and early December to be given to the children who will be spending the holidays at Children's Hospital Central California. We believe that delivering hand crafted cards at a major holiday such as Christmas can promote the well being of the mind, body, and spirit of the children staying at Children's Hospital Central California for the Christmas holiday.  I hope you will join us in making cards for these deserving kids. You will be go happy you did! 

This will be one of our biggest projects to date.  Let's see just how many cards we can collect for this project.  Every month this project puts out a call and every month you all deliver.  If you would like to be a part of this project...

All you need to do is:

 Submit your card/s by December 10th to:

Madison Womack

(IFTL) Funky Cards

P.O. Box 1203

Atascadero, CA  93423

                 Project #16

 Please share your project with everyone by linking it to my blog before you put it in the mail.  Click HERE to find the photo gallery.

~Madison

I Feel the Love Project- October 2012

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I Feel the Love Project October 2012

Surrey Place Care Center

Quality of life statement taken from the Surrey Place Care Center webite: "Our Quality of Life mission is to provide all our residents with multi-dimensional activities. This can mean designing programs to meet the needs for our short-term rehab residents, who are independent and cognitively intact. It also entails designing programs for our cognitively impaired residents or our bed bound residents. Just as in everyone’s lives, our needs, talents and interests are different. 

We must try to individualize our activities to meet the needs or all in our facility. We also want to ensure group socialization for their benefit. It is important to acknowledge that we must strive to make the entire facility a joyful place for the staff. The whole mission will be met if the entire staff is fully engaged with the residents and everyone is aiming for the same goal… the well being or our residents, mind, body and spirit."

The I Feel the Love Project will be making Thanksgiving Cards during the month of October to be given to the residents of Surrey Place Care Center during November for Thanksgiving. We believe that delivering handcrafted cards at a major holiday such as Thanksgiving promotes the well being of the "mind, body, and spirit" of the residents at Surrey Place Care.  I can't wait to make cards for the elderly this month knowing that it may be the only card that they receive for this holiday.  Do you want to be a part of this experience? Please join us this month! 

All you need to do is:

 Submit your card/s by October 31st to:

Madison Womack

(IFTL) Funky Cards

P.O. Box 1203

Atascadero, CA  93423

                                Project #15

 Please share your project with everyone by linking it to my blog before you put it in the mail.  Click HERE to find the photo gallery.

~Madison

I Feel the Love Project- September 2012

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I Feel the Love Project September 2012

Casa Pacifica

Mission statement taken from the Casa Pacifica webite: "We meet kids and families at the most challenging times of their lives and help them overcome some of life’s most difficult circumstances – abuse and neglect, complex emotional and behavioral issues, and family crises. We restore hope, help children find joy in daily living, and improve families’ chances at making a better life for themselves and at finding a place in their community where they can be successful. Casa Pacifica is committed to children unconditionally over time and through all of life’s ups and downs.

Headquartered on a rural 24-acre campus five miles from the Pacific Ocean, Casa Pacifica serves abused and neglected children and adolescents, and those with severe emotional, social, behavioral, and mental health challenges. Our primary service area is California’s Central Coast, but referrals come from all over. We provide a comprehensive array of state of the art services to meet the varied and complex needs of children, youth and emerging adults in our care..."

It was learned that there are currently around 200 kids who attend school at Casa Pacifica and approximately 70 kids who live at the facility.  

The I Feel the Love Project will be making Halloween Cards during the month of September (handed out during the month of October) to be given to the kids who live at Casa Pacifica. Each year the facility has an amazing Halloween party for the kids. It is our goal to send a card to at least each child who lives there to help celebrate this occasion.  We will need to make at least 70 cards.  I know we can do this!!  These kids deserve our love and support!  (Please keep cards fun and cheery, nothing scary or evil).

All you need to do is:

 Submit your card/s by September 30 to:

Madison Womack

(IFTL) Funky Cards

P.O. Box 1203

Atascadero, CA  93423

                                Project #14

 Please share your project with everyone by linking it to my blog before you put it in the mail.  Click HERE to find the photo gallery.

~Madison

I Feel The Love Project- August 2012

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I Feel the Love Project August 2012

Olivia, 9, and her mom EriKa 

Olivia's story, as told by family friend, Karen. 

Olivia is a 9-year-old with a sparkling heart, in need of extra love and encouragement.  My lifelong friend, her mother, lost her battle to cancer in 2011. Facing this new reality has been extremely hard for Olivia. As valiantly as our beloved Erika fought cancer, Olivia fights to put an end to this terrible disease. 

Soon after her passing, at only 8 years old Olivia founded Kids Involved in Cancer Research (KICR) with a fierce drive to raise awareness and money for colon and lung cancer research. The annual KICR walkathon took place this past weekend and what better way to show Olivia we support her than to send her a box full of love from IFTL Project. She is so brave, possessing the same inspiring strength I saw in Erika, and I would give anything to take away her pain. This ministry gives us the privilege of delivering sunshine to Olivia's heart. Our happy cards will bring a smile to her beautiful face as she fights her own battle of dealing with the loss of her mom. It will mean so much to her to see that there are people thinking of her, who took the time to make a fun little card especially for her. Every card will be a blessing, engulfing her with healing love and light.

All you need to do is:

 Submit your card/s by August 31 to:

Madison Womack

(IFTL) Funky Cards

P.O. Box 1203

Atascadero, CA  93423

                                Project #13

 Please share your project with everyone by linking it to my blog before you put it in the mail.  Click HERE to find the photo gallery.

~Madison

I Feel the Love Project- July 2012

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I Feel the Love Project July 2012

Sheffield Place, Kansas City

Sheffield Place opened its doors in February 1991 as a community response to the growing population of homeless mothers and their children in the Kansas City area. Since then, Sheffield Place has assisted more than 560 families in making the difficult journey from homelessness to self-sufficiency.

The Director of Sheffield Place has asked that one of their volunteers throw a birthday party once a month for the kids at the shelter. It would be great if they had a stash of birthday cards and decorations to use for these occasions. I was thinking that we could really contribute in a big way! Let's show him just how much we care. Please consider joining me in making birthday cards for boys and girls and/or birthday decorations, such as a banner that can be reused. This homeless shelter would be very grateful to receive a big box of cards and decorations from us!

I can see it now. The face of the homeless child celebrating his or her birthday in the shelter and receiving a beautiful homemade card. His or her face will light up knowing that someone out there cares enough to send such a gift. That someone can be you! All you need to do is:

 Submit your card/s or decorations by July 31 to:

Madison Womack

(IFTL) Funky Cards

P.O. Box 1203

Atascadero, CA  93423

                                Project #12

 Please share your project with everyone by linking it to my blog before you put it in the mail.  Click HERE to find the photo gallery.

~Madison

I Feel the Love Project- May

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I Feel the Love Project May 2012

Brandon

This is Brandon's story, as told by Ms. Ellen, staff member at the Pediatric Specialty Care, the pediatric care facility where Brandon was taken after the accident. 

"BRANDON was just 4 one day, riding in the family car for a trip to McDonalds for a Happy Meal, when a tragic car accident changed the lives of his young family. Brandon's mother, aunt and sister were all seriously injured and rushed to area hospitals; his mother's boyfriend (the driver of the car) died of his injuries. Brandon was pulseless at the scene of the accident, was revived and taken to a trauma center. 

There, doctors discovered that despite being in a car seat, Brandon had suffered a traumatic brain injury, traumatic spinal cord injury and had been without oxygen to his brain for too long for a reasonable chance at recovery. Despite dire predictions early on, Brandon has had remarkable accomplishments in rehab. He is considered tetraplegic, which means he can move one limb from time to time; he remains trach and ventilator dependent, which little likelihood that he will ever be weaned from the ventilator, due to his neurological damage from the accident. 

Brandon's mom is just 34 years young and also cares for Brandon's 2 year old sister, Ashley. She's trying to regroup after losing her boyfriend (Ashley's father), and while still caring for herself and the injuries she suffered too, as well as caring for the aunt who is still in the hospital following the September 1 accident. 

Brandon likes watching other kids playing video games, enjoys superheroes like Spiderman and Batman, sports and Legos. He and his whole family would appreciate cards, prayers and thoughtfulness for this young man as he begins his journey home, through placement in a long term care facility for a stay long enough that Mom can be trained and find a new suitable home where Brandon's complex care can be managed."

I was asked by Ms. Ellen if I would be interested in featuring Brandon as a recipient of the "I Feel the Love Project" cards.  I am honored to be able to ask my followers to join me this month in designing and creating handmade cards for him. Brandon is this month's recipient of our "I Feel the Love Project" cards. Let's show him just how much we care. Please consider joining me in making a cheerful/thinking of you card for Brandon. Cards like these can really help to brighten his day.

 Submit your card/s by May 31 to:

Madison Womack

(IFTL) Funky Cards

P.O. Box 1203

Atascadero, CA  93423

                                Project #11

 Please share your card with everyone by linking it to my blog before you put it in the mail.  Click HERE to find the photo gallery.

~Madison

I Feel the love April 2012

Welcome to Funky Cards

I Feel the Love Project April 2012

Emily
This is Emily's story, as told on her aunt's blog.

"At the adventurous age of six, Emily is the oldest daughter of four children to Sean and Jennifer Ziemathis. Although small, petite and quiet, she holds her own with her brothers and sister and has a heart the size her mommy and daddy admire. Arts and crafts, pink and purple, horses and kittens are items that will keep her content and comfortable for hours. Unfortunately, that comfort has been disrupted with the recent diagnosis of Leukemia.

It all started when Emily began complaining about her legs and joints hurting, among other trips to the pediatrician. This is when her parents decided to take her to the children's hospital, where they found out the bad news about the Leukemia."

Emily loves receiving cards and I am honored to be able to design and create a handmade card for her. Emily is this month's recipient of our "I Feel the Love Project" cards. Let's show her just how much we care. Please consider joining me in making a cheerful/thinking of you card for Emily. Cards like these can really help to brighten her day.

 Submit your card/s by April 30 to:

Madison Womack

(IFTL) Funky Cards

P.O. Box 1203

Atascadero, CA  93423

                                Project #10

 Please share your card with everyone by linking it to my blog before you put it in the mail.  Click HERE to find the photo gallery.

~Madison

"I Feel The Love" March

Welcome to Funky Cards
I Feel the Love Project: March 2012

It all started December 2011.... (as told by Trinitie's mom)

"A couple months before Christmas Trinitie was having some minor headaches, I really didn't pay that much attention to them.  I gave her some Tylenol and thought it may have been due to lack of sleep, her diet, dehydration, or the fact that she was growing. The next week we monitored her and made sure that she was in fact getting enough sleep and drinking plenty of fluids. The headaches seemed to increase and I decided to take her to the pediatric clinic. When we arrived Trin ran a low grade fever (first time she had a fever with the headache symptoms) with no questions asked the nurse ran a swab test and she tested positive for the flu.

Trinitie took the flu medicine until it ran out but we had noticed that she wasn't feeling herself. She was very sluggish were she used to be bubbly and energetic, her headaches seemed to increase, she couldn't sleep and night, couldn't focus on her school work, and she was now vomiting several times a day. I took her back to her pediatrician.

After explaing this symptoms to him, he quickly ordered us to go the the nearby hospital and have a CT Scan performed. After that procedure had taken place we were ordered to have a MRI performed as they had noticed a mass on her brain and needed to get a closer more precise look. When they were finished they handed us a disk and told us to go back to the clinic and show our pediatrician the disk.

I remember this like it was yesterday, almost like something out of a Twilight movie. We pulled into the parking lot of a well known always crowded pediatric clinic to find no one in the parking lot and as we walked up to the front door a nurse greeted us as if they had been waiting for our arrival. At that moment I knew in my heart something was going on.

We sat in the room and waited for the Dr, when he walked into the room almost instantly I saw his face change. He said "there is no easy way to tell you this but, Trinitie has a Brain Tumor" Trinitie started crying and everything the Dr. said at that point was far off in the distance somewhere.

This is how Trinitie's journey begins..."

And now it is our turn to help bring some love and joy to this beautiful girl and her family.  Trinitie is this month's recipient of our "I Feel the Love Project" cards.  Let's show her just how much we care.  Please consider making a cheerful/thinking of you card for Trinitie.  Cards like these can really help to brighten her day. 

 Submit your card/s by March 31 to:

Madison Womack

(IFTL) Funky Cards

P.O. Box 1203

Atascadero, CA  93423

                                Project #9

 Please share your card with everyone by linking it to my blog before you put it in the mail.  Click HERE to find the photo gallery.


Thank you to fellow crafter Ms. Tanya Adams
for sharing Trinitie's story with me.

~Madison

I Feel The Love Project - February 2012

Welcome to Funky Cards
I Feel the Love Project: February 2012

Honoring those who serve our country.

The U.S. military employs many brave and honorable men and women.  As part of their jobs, they are asked to be away from their families for months at a time.  This can be really hard for not only the military personnel, but for their family members as well.  This month, we will be making cards for members of the U.S. Navy who will soon be leaving to go overseas.  We would like to send them some love and support before they deploy for their next mission.  

This is a great opportunity to say thank you to those who are working hard to keep our country safe.  I would like to be able to send 100 cards.  This is our goal.  I know we can do it.  This is a short month so we need to get started.  This would be a great activity for a students too:)

 Submit your card/s by February 29 to:

Madison Womack

(IFTL) Funky Cards

P.O. Box 1203

Atascadero, CA  93423

                                Project #8

 Please share your card with everyone by linking it to my blog before you put it in the mail.  Click HERE to find the photo gallery.

~Madison

I Feel The Love: January 2012

Welcome to Funky Cards
I Feel the Love Project: January 2012

In Loving Memory of Olivia Cappelluti
8/2/2011 - 12/21/2011

As the New Year begins I would like to thank all my followers and those of you who support the "I Feel The Love Project".  Without you, this project would not be possible.  Today I would like to announce that for the month of January, the family of Olivia Cappelluti from Santiago, Chile will be the recipients of our handcrafted cards.   

Jon- Dad, Tommy-Brother, Loreto-Mom, Amanda- Twin Sister, Vicky- Sister

Here is Olivia's story as told by her grandmother, Ms. Ethel St. John of California:

"Olivia Cappelluti was born on Aug. 2, 2011 to parents, Jon and Loreto Lara Cappelluti.  She was a twin, weighing only 2.2 lbs at birth, and,  as a result of unusual developmental patterns, had both heart and lung defects.  Her life expectancy was two weeks.  Defying the odds, Olivia not only lived, she thrived, remaining in the hospital, gaining weight and preparing herself for open-heart surgery.  Two months later, the first surgery was performed and afterwards, this spunky 2-month old was able to be disconnected from all life-support tubes and took nourishment for the first time by mouth!  

October 7, 2011

On Monday, Dec. 19^th, at 4 ½ months old, Olivia was taken in for her second open-heart surgery, this one more complicated and risky than the first one.  She was on the operating table for nine hours while surgeons worked diligently to correct her heart defects.  This amazing little fighter survived this ordeal, but her battle wasn’t over.  During the next 24 hours, a blockage developed.  The doctors realized her only hope was yet another surgery.  Wednesday morning, while in the operating room, God called her home…her work here was done.  Heaven had a new little angel that day….we miss her."

December 17, 2011

Olivia's parents, Jon and Loreto had hoped and prayed that they would be taking Olivia home by Christmas.  God had other plans.  At this time, we need to stand behind this family as they grieve the loss the of their beautiful daughter.  You can help by making a card that says thinking of you, with sympathy, or just a pretty blank card that you can write a nice message in.  Please add your own message inside and where you are from.  This family lives in Santiago, Chile.  We are spreading our love to South America.  Thank you in advance for your support.  This family is grieving and your words will mean a lot to them.

 Submit your card/s by January 31st to:

Madison Womack

(IFTL) Funky Cards

P.O. Box 1203

Atascadero, CA  93423

                                Project #7

 Please share your card with everyone by linking it to my blog before you put it in the mail.  Click HERE to find the photo gallery.

Thank you in advance for the compassion and 
love you will give to the Cappelluti family.

~Madison