Tag Archives: fundraising

Handmade

Leave a comment

As I sat down to write this post I was casting around in my mind for a suitable title. After close to 15 years of writing this blog it is inevitable that I end up reusing titles and that does not really matter. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the very simple one-word title of ‘Handmade’ had never featured. This is amazing since so much I what I write about is things that we have made or refashioned, whether it is cooking, sewing, gardening or various constructions.

Anyway, enough about the title and on to a couple of things that I have made recently which I want to share with you. The first is a recipe. This is a quick and easy no-bake sweet treat which is easy to have on hand for unexpected guests as well as a terrific option for times when you need to contribute something at the plethora of end-of-year events which will soon be upon us.

CHOC FRUIT AND NUT BALLS

Ingredients

1 cup raw almonds
1 cup sultanas
1 cup raisins
2 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup coconut + extra for rolling
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1 – 2 tablespoons fruit juice

Method

Place almonds in food processor and process until fairly finely chopped. Add sultanas and raisins and process a bit more. Add the remaining dry ingredients and finally the juice. Drizzle slowly until the mixture forms into a solid mass. Remove mixture and roll into small balls. Roll the balls in coconut and store in the freezer until ready to use.

NOTE: This ‘recipe’ is my own creation and the quantities are only approximate and very flexible. You can use any dried fruit of you choosing. The juice can be fresh orange or lemon juice or any type of bottled juice.

Additionally, it is gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. Although I have not tried, if you need a nut-free version you could consider using pepitas or sunflower seeds instead of the almonds.

Meanwhile, I have also done some sewing recently. I had picked up some beautiful quilting fabric from an op shop some time ago with no real plans for how I would use it as they are not the colours I generally work with. I added it to my stash for a yet to be decided project. Last week I used some of it to make these blocks.

I then turned them into 2 patchwork tote bags which are fully lined with a contrasting internal pocket.

They are both being donated. One went to be part of a raffle at a Frocktober High Tea which a friend held yesterday. For those of you who don’t know, Frocktober is a focused month of fundraising for Ovarian Cancer Research. All cancer research is important but ovarian cancer is a particularly insidious disease which usually has very late diagnosis, and therefore, very poor outcomes and survival rates.

The other bag will also be part of a raffle next weekend but this time it will be at a fundraising fete for our local Community Pantry.

I am pleased to be able to share some of my handmade goods to benefit others in the wider community.

For a Cause

Leave a comment

There are many very worthwhile causes and charities and I expect many of us have our particular favourites which are close to our heart. There are equally as many ways to support them.

Frocktober is a month-long fundraising campaign for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation. Ovarian cancer is a particularly lethal gynaecological cancer for which there is no screening test. It is often only diagnosed in the late stages and has an extremely poor survival rate.

So, when a friend invited me to a Frocktober High Tea, I did not hesitate.

As well as raising fund for much needed research we enjoyed a fabulous spread of beautiful home-made delights and a fun afternoon of conversation with a group of about 40 local women.

Thanks to everyone who made the afternoon a success.

For the past few days I have been debating about my choice of frock as the weather has been extremely variable – it is spring in Victoria, after all. I finally opted for this bias cut sleeveless cotton frock with a lightweight cardigan. It is difficult to go wrong with classic black and white spots. This was its first outing as I had bought it about 3 weeks ago in a local op shop for $8. The frock is super comfortable and easy to wear and I am sure I will have plenty more opportunities to wear it as the weather warms up.

If you would like to support the work of the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, you can donate here.

Supporting A Charity

2 Comments

There are all sorts of ways we can help those less fortunate than ourselves.  There are so many worthwhile charities out there who are doing magnificent work that sometimes it is hard to choose where your dollar should go.  There is everything from the largest global organisation to small, local groups whose work goes mostly unnoticed.

2013-04-21 03Today you have an opportunity to help a small but amazing band of people who knit new items for those who are in dire need.  They make everything from beanies for premature babies to blankets.

You can vote online for the Heritage Bank Volunteer of the Year nominee, Karen Croke who set up the group, ‘Knitting For Brisbane’s Needy’ 7 years ago.  The prize for the Volunteer of the Year would be used to fund storage and transport facilities if she were to win.

2013-02-02 02You can read more about the group here.

You can follow this link to vote.  Just click on the ‘Vote Now’ button and scroll down until you find Karen Croke and then just follow the directions.  She is currently in second place.  You can only vote once from each email address, however, if you have access to more than one email address you will be able to vote once from each address.

I have no particular interest in the outcome of this award apart from the fact that Karen is an acquaintance of mine and I would genuinely love to see her receive this award and consequently the prizemoney which would be used wisely.

International entries are also accepted.

Thank you for considering supporting this cause.

Regular posts will return tomorrow.

Fundraising Clutter

14 Comments

I want to preface this post by saying that I have nothing against the concept of fundraising.  Many charities receive little or no regular funding so donations are essential for them to be able to carry out the wonderful support and services which they provide.  It is also helps to raise awareness of issues such as medical conditions of which many people have limited knowledge.

I am bothered by the amount of stuff generated by fundraising for good causes.  The past 25 years has seen exponential growth in this type of fundraising.  Almost every week there is some designated ‘day’.  We have pink ribbon, white ribbon, blue ribbon, red nose and daffodil days to name but a few.

There are several issues around this whole concept that bother me:

The amount of unnecessary stuff which is generated in the name of merchandising.  These include ribbons, lapel pins, pens, medallions, mugs, teddy bears, silicone wristbands, keyrings, bandanas, fake flowers and caps.  This is not an exhaustive list but it gives you an idea of the sort of stuff that has become part of the push for the donation dollar.

This stuff is:

Mostly made in overseas sweatshops and imported

Has to be purchased initially by the charity which reduces the money available for use in provision of services and support

Is rarely of any real use to the purchaser

Takes up space, gathers dust and eventually is consigned to landfill

Possibly the earliest proponents of giving away something in exchange for a donation was red poppies on Armistice Day.  I believe they used to be handmade using red crepe paper but then progressed to mass produced.  Now there is a choice of poppy themed merchandise.

The next forays into a designated ‘day’ that I am aware of were ‘Daffodil Day’ (Cancer Fund)  and ‘Red Nose Day’ (SIDS and Kids)which began in 1986 and 1988 respectively.  They both began with a single product and quickly expanded into a range of merchandise.

Since when did the need to buy stuff rather than simply make a donation become the accepted norm?  Do people feel that they need to ‘advertise’ their support?  Or is it simply designed to raise awareness rather than funds?  Whatever the reason I disagree with the waste that is generated by the selling of merchandise on these special ‘days’.

My strategy to avoid the stuff is simply to select those charities that I wish to support and make a regular donation directly from my pay or at at time of my choosing.  On the rare occasions that I make a donation on a specific ‘day’ I give money with the express wish that I do not want any merchandise.  This is usually met with a strange look or comment but I simply say, “No thanks” and leave.

How do you feel about this issue?

Remember, this is not against individual organisations but rather the mass marketing of ‘stuff’ in the name of fundraising.