Charity Starts . . . with me.

Last year, about this time, I got a bug that had me looking around for a charity. Some place where I could gift my crochet obsession with those that need it. I called around a few places and pretty much ran into a brick wall, it was padded with one of those gymnasium mats, but still a stopping block. Now don't get me wrong, it's not that local charity organizations were turning me away. I've made things for a couple of those places before so I know they have needs. But I was feeling an urge to reach out to someone, someplace, that isn't necessarily at the top of the charity food chain. So last year, I made 10 hat/scarf sets and gave them to the grade school just up the street from my house. The guidance counselor there was very happy. And here I am again, gearing up to gift my obsession with another group of people.

This one has a personal meaning to me though. Tuesday I had a dream that I ran into a friend I worked with while shopping at a local grocery store. She was skinny, sickly pale and wearing a raggedy bandana on her head. She was telling me she had breast cancer and was undergoing treatment for it. Why I saw her, I'm not sure. My grandmother had breast cancer so needless to say it hit close to home. I called the local cancer treatment center and found out that they serve over 200 people a day, most of them undergoing chemotherapy.

So I'm making Chemo Caps and I'm going to donate them to the cancer center. Something tells me that I'm getting myself involved in an on-going project. And with that came the realization that charity doesn't start at home . . . it starts with me.

Three completed on Wednesday and a lot more to go!