Reflections and Hope: A look back at 2018

Friends,

As The Love Quilt Project team starts our planning for 2019, I wanted to take the time to reflect and share with you my favorite moments of 2018.

A Successful Fundraiser

We started the year with our first big fundraising event at the South African Embassy in Washington DC. Our keynote speakers were South African Ambassador Mninwa Mahlangu, and US Acting Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs; Donald Yamamoto. We enjoyed a fun-filled evening with former DC morning news anchor Will Thomas as our Emcee. Actor Patrick Wilson completed the evening with a live performance of “Humble and Kind’ by Tim McGraw. It was our first major event and it focused on bringing awareness to the good works we do while raising money to help support the educational needs of South African children.

A Grant to Fund our Film Project

We were thrilled when we received a generous grant from the Campbell Foundation to fund the documentary film we will be using as our art square lesson plus a second film to be used to tell our story for fundraising and marketing purposes. We hired Lift Media from New York City and they have been extraordinarily hard-working and committed on this project.

A Memorable Quilt Delivery

This past November the Love Quilt Project team traveled to South Africa where we delivered 112 quilts to children in Pretoria and on the Western Cape. To experience the delight on the children’s faces when they received their quilts was priceless. Of course, the hard work by our volunteers to get us ready for this trip was incredible. We had the largest quilter participation to date which made for a very successful trip. The Lift Media team also joined us on this trip where they captured a lot of special moments that will be seen in the films.

The Beginning of a Legacy

During my time in South Africa I was able to visit many of the children who have received Love Quilts in the past. I was so happy to see and hear how the quilts continued to provide the comfort these children need and deserve. I also enjoyed talking to the children who the LQP has been helping to support through our education fund donations over the past four years. After several years of visits with these children, I heard them talking f the first time about their dreams of going to University and having a career. We will be focusing on growing the education fund initiative in 2019 while continuing to give a hug to each of these children through the warmth of a Love Quilt.

As I reflect on these wonderful moments over the past year and plan for the year ahead, I am comforted knowing that these children have been given hope for a bright future through the good works of the Love Quilt Project. I would like to sincerely thank all of you who continue to support us through your kind assistance and financial support.

Ubuntu,

Gretchen Ginnerty