Snowflakes for Sandy Hook

After December's tragic events at Sandy Hook Elementary school, I received a "volunteer challenge" via email. Immediately, I knew that taking part was important and would be giving in several ways.

Red Panda Beads is a source for some of my creative materials. Betsy, the owner, saw that the Connecticut Parent Teacher Student Association (CT PTSA) wanted to greet the Sandy Hook children to a "winter wonderland" when they started back to school in January.  They were asking for contributions of "unique snowflakes" which brought her snowflake wire forms (sold her web site) to mind. She asked volunteers to create and send her snowflakes; she'd batch ship them to Sandy Hook's PTA. What a great idea! [side note: Betsy even offered to send wire forms to people with postage-paid return envelopes.]

So on Christmas Eve day, Joshua and I took time to make a batch of whimsical snowflakes to send. We kept the returning children, parents of these children, and the lost individuals in our minds. Our thoughts and conversation ebbed and flowed as we worked. It felt cathartic and we shipped the snowflakes right after Christmas, wanting them to arrive in time for Betsy's shipment to the PTA.

...fast-forward nearly 3 weeks...

Betsy received an email with this link - basically, the PTA closed the Snowflake Project because of an overwhelming response.  :(  She didn't let this stop her efforts, though, because she got creative and came up with another way to help. She is listing all of the snowflakes made and sent to her at a flat price, donating sales to the Sandy Hook PTA.

A call to action:
Please consider visiting Betsy's online shop and purchasing one or more of these crafted snowflakes. They are listed at a flat price of $10. So far, there are 113 snowflakes listed for sale, and I've got a hunch that many more will be added over time. Betsy's quick thinking will ensure that the beaded snowflakes will not go to waste! Funds raised will help contribute to the children. Also, you'll get a snowflake to use as a decoration, as a reminder, and/or as a gift to another.

If buying a beaded snowflake to raise funds isn't your thing, there are specific other ways you can help - including donating directly on the CT PTSA site. Click here for those options.

Will you help, too?