Lots of News to Share

Gregg and I visited Lucile a short while ago, and picked up a BIG new donation. She has been making pillowcases for the patients at Seattle Children's Hospital, so instead of hospital-issue bedding, the children will have a cheery, personal pillowcase. In addition, she has been making receiving blankets for the very youngest patients. Lucile donated 60 pillowcases, 13 receiving blankets and one crocheted blanket! She truly is a "producer."

Here is Lucile with some of her most recent work:

 Thank you, Lucile! You are a treasure!

Our guild's far-away friend, Jaimee Martin, has been busy quilting, as well. Here are Jaimee's three most recent beauties:

Aren't they awesome? - so colorful, original and cheerful! Three patients are going to be delighted to cuddle with those quilts.

Thank you, Jaimee! We are super-grateful to you.

The latest copy of Guild News (the Guild Association's publication) is available here:
https://giveto.seattlechildrens.org/emailviewonwebpage.aspx?erid=1179117&trid=faedbc08-c05e-48e9-a66d-0b3dcba75db5

Annual Meeting & Luncheon, 2016

Katie's Comforters Guild members Mary, Ellie, Bonnie, Karen & Sue

Five members of Katie's Comforters Guild attended the 2016 Guild Association Annual Meeting & Luncheon celebration at the Westin Hotel on Friday. Four of us drove over together, taking the ferry from Bainbridge Island to Seattle, and one came via the Bremerton ferry. We were seated together for the luncheon, while we watched inspiring videos, listened to personal stories of patient treatment, and heard doctors discuss their research and motivation.

Vice President of our guild, Mary Ryan, and guild member Sue Hart of the Sew-and-Sews

Katie's Comforters Guild President Karen Gerstenberger with guild members Ellie Boren (Katie's "Grandma B") and Bonnie Petersen

Awards were given, gratitude expressed, success celebrated and inspiration was shared all around; tears were shed and applause rang out, culminating in a standing ovation for the featured speaker, Kat Tiscornia - a patient who has taken her own story of cure to the world, in order to inspire others. And inspire she did!

The Guild Association to which we belong had a record-breaking year in 2015. Here are some of the highlights:

• We have 6,200 members
• We include 450 guilds
• 24 new guilds were added in 2015
• 67 are Research Champion guilds (donating $2,500 or more to research in one calendar year)
• We gave 125,905 volunteer hours
• Guilds raised $12,919,100 in project revenue (about half of that was raised by the Friends of Costco Guild - HOORAY for Costco!)
• $140,200 was raised by membership revenue
• $602,000 was net Bargain Boutique revenue
• $20,267,195 was donated to Seattle Children's Hospital Foundation programs in guild-affiliated revenue by guild members and their friends

You can see why our Guild Association is a leader in fundraising, and is admired by hospitals everywhere. Please join us, and come along next year to share in the giving and the celebration - it's fun, educational and rewarding!

Have You Seen the GUILD NEWS, Fall 2015 Issue?

Guild News, Fall 2015:
Have you received your copy of the Guild News, Fall 2015 issue, online or in your USPS mailbox?
If you are a member of a guild, you are automatically entitled to receive this publication; if you're not a guild member, we invite you to join us!

Katie's Comforters Guild was mentioned in the "Round of Applause" on page 9 - here is a direct link to the page in the online version.

A hearty "thank you" to all who made these donations possible!

Free fabric is available! 
In addition to the 396 fleece blankets made by the #AWSL2015 Fall Leadership Conference attendees, left-over fleece was donated to our guild. If you are hoping to make blankets, but don't have any fleece, please contact us!

We have also received the offer of a large amount of brand-new, top-quality quilting fabric from a donor in the Redmond, WA area. If you need fabric to make quilts for Katie's Comforters Guild, please contact us - it's waiting for you in Redmond!