Saturday, January 30, 2010

Baton Rouge Help for Haiti

This is a copy of the article from the Baton Rouge Morning Advocate about a local doctor helping to get medical help to Haiti. My neice will be part of one of the teams that will be going to Haiti for a week. All prayers and help are appreciated.

If you would like to follow this team or get more information, go to these links:
Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/#/group.php?gid=254693002429&ref=mf

Twitter:
twitter.com/thegreeneteamfacebook.com/thegreeneteam

Website to give:
www.br2haiti.org


Baton Rouge orthopedic surgeon Dr. Craig Greene said the sea of victims in Haiti who need surgery was “just overwhelming” when he arrived in the earthquake-ravaged country.
“You just needed to take it all in,” said Greene, who returned from Haiti earlier this week. “It was trying to figure out what we needed to do next while at the same time we were trying to get folks taken care of.”
Greene is trying to put together volunteer medical teams — generally six-member teams of doctors, nurses and physical and occupational therapists — to go to Haiti, work for a week, and then be replaced by another team.
His efforts are among the many Haiti relief plans being coordinated by Baton Rouge area volunteers.
Greene said his effort, nicknamed the Greene Team, is just now beginning to find a rhythm.
“But there are still gaps to fill,” he said.
One of the primary focuses of the team is to not only perform surgery on the victims — many of whom had bone-crushing wounds — but to also offer follow-up care, he said.
“We don’t want to just operate on them and then leave,” he said. “There is a lot of follow-up care these people need in order to get their lives back.
Greene is headed back to Haiti on Sunday to fine-tune his efforts, which have turned into a family and local community affair.
His mother, Cathy Greene, who is fluent in French, is also headed to Haiti this week.
She is spearheading the BR2Haiti project, which is trying to recruit medical team volunteers and get them desperately needed medical supplies.
Stacie Greene, Cathy Greene’s sister-in-law, is serving as the medical supply coordinator.
“I’m trying to procure the supplies, get them packaged and just get them to Haiti,” she said. “We’ve heard of horror stories of this stuff just sitting on the tarmac with no one getting them.”
Stacie Greene said she is trying to work on clearing barriers, particularly bureaucratic barriers.
One of the problems the group is encountering is that U.S. Customs agents will allow them to ship only $2,500 worth of medications per airplane.
“We’re working hard to get them to lift that limit,” Stacie Greene said. “$2,500 worth of medicine is not very much, especially for a patient who has had surgery.”
The group is trying to send one plane a week to Haiti loaded with medical supplies.
Warner Anderson, assistant dean of international education and a Spanish professor at Southern University, and Kristan Gordon, coordinator for service learning at Southern, initiated a project to raise supplies for Haitians just days after the earthquake.
“We focused mainly on the needs of the children,” Anderson said. “They are always the most vulnerable in a disaster.”
Anderson and Gordon collected more than 400 boxes of baby formula, food, lotion, wipes and disposable diapers, feminine hygiene products, hand sanitizer, insect repellent, clothes and shoes.
“We had an enormous response from churches, organizations on campus and individuals,” he said.
But then it came time to start figuring out how to get the boxes shipped to Haiti.
“And that’s when I found Stacie Greene,” he said.
He learned from Greene that U.S. Customs requires all of the supplies to be packaged in clear plastic bags, sealed with gray duct tape, labeled by content and then weighed.
The job of repacking 400 large boxes was enormous, but volunteers stepped forward from the university and Victory Baptist Church in Plaquemine to help.
“It was a daunting task, but we’re committed to doing this,” Anderson said.
The bags will be delivered to BR2Haiti, and Stacie Greene will have them loaded onto one of the project’s donated airplanes and shipped to Haiti.
Julie Baxter, an attorney with Rhorer Law Firm, is president of the new 25-member Capital City Rotary Club.
“We raised $1,000 to buy a Shelter Box,” Baxter said.
But then her club asked the other two Rotary Clubs in Baton Rouge to raise money as a citywide Rotary effort.
Between the Capital Area, Baton Rouge and Sunrise Rotary clubs, they’ve raised $14,550, which will pay for nearly 15 Shelter Boxes — which include tents, stoves, cooking pots, plates and utensils and food to shelter and feed 10 people for 30 days.
Virgin Airlines has agreed to fly the Shelter Boxes to Haiti.
“Shelter Boxes are basically the best relief you can send to a disaster stricken area,” Baxter said. “It provides 10 people with shelter and with the stove and the food it comes with, you can prepare meals.”
She said Baton Rouge residents were generous when the group asked for donations.
“Baton Rouge never balks at giving immediately when something happens,” she said. “I think it’s the time when you feel the proudest of this city.”

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

New Pattern

I've started working on a new pattern and I was ready to start making a few tests. It just wasn't coming out like I envisioned so I'm making a couple of changes. The new design will be a simpler design and I believe will work out better than the original. We'll see when I start making more.

It's year end at my Accounting day job, so I haven't had as much time as I'd like to work on the pattern. Hopefully things will slow down in the next couple of weeks and I can get back to it.

Of course, I did find the time to stop at All Brands and buy more fabric. You can never have too much. I'm waiting to see the new fleur di lis fabric that is supposed to come in soon. With the Saints in the Super Bowl, I'm sure I can find something to do with it.

Who Dat? Black and Gold in the Super Bowl!!! Geaux Saints

Monday, January 18, 2010

Christmas Stockings - Customer Creation

I taught a class at All Brands using my Christmas Stocking Epattern. After making one in the class, one of the ladies went home and made all of these.







The great fabric combinations and name added to the cuff made these so adorable.



Saturday, January 16, 2010

APIL's 1st Basketball Game of 2010

APIL (Ascension Parish Inclusive League) had the first basketball game of the 2010 season today as part of the AYBA (Ascension Youth Basketball Association) program. Jerseys were handed out and pictures taken.

Everyone had a great time and learned some of the basic basketball terminology and skills. APIL is scheduled to play at Galvez Middle School at 10AM during the AYBA season.


Thursday, January 14, 2010

Article in the local paper

I am very excited to announce that my business made the local Baton Rouge Morning Advocate newspaper today. The artible was about web business in Ascension Parish. This is the picture that went along with it. Although I was a little uncomfortable being on the other side of the camera, it was fun.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

New Year Sewing Projects

I started the New Year off by sewing a few samples to display at the All Brands Baton Rouge store.

This one was made using the Emily Dress Pattern from a Michael Miller print called Malibu Flamingo. It was made in honor of the Baton Rouge Spanish Town Mardi Gras Parade with flamingos being the 2010 theme. The lining and inserts from Fabric Finder's pink/white check fabric.




To keep with the Mardi Gras theme, this outfit was made using the Annette Reversible Sundress pattern for the top (shortened a little) and Karen Capri Pants. The embroidery design was a free download from All Brands Sew Forum, (this post). There are some very talented digitizers that share these awesome designs. The green fabric is Fabric Finder's pique and the frog print is by Timeless Treasures.

Using the frog print on the reversed side of the top allows this outfit to be worn after Mardi Gras as a fun play outfit..
This one was made in the Easter theme, which by the way will be early this year so it's never too early to get started.
Made from the Sunny Wrap Dress pattern using Fabric Finder's green pique and lined with pink/white check. The bunny applique is also a free download from sew forum by Five Star Fonts.

Friday, January 1, 2010

Happy New Year and Customer Creation

Wishing everyone a joyous, peaceful and prosperous New Year.

I'm ready to start sewing again and working on some new ideas for patterns. My new projects are some samples to display in the All Brands Baton Rouge store. Mardi Gras and Easter are the themes and I'll post pictures when I'm done.

Here is an adorable customer creation made by this precious little girl's mom using the Emily Dress Pattern and Metro Market print by Robert Kaufman. This fun print is one of my favorites, fun and whimsical, and looks great for the Emily Dress.


Thanks D for sharing.