" Pause with a Silver Lining"

Sometimes the magic of the universe offers a "win-win" for all of us.

Unbeknownst to us, a very generous supply of quilts was already underway to us when we announced the pause in collections for Rotaplast. But before we could get them repacked for the medical missions, another opportunity presented itself. Knowing that a quilt "in action" is always better than a quilt in storage, we wanted to learn more.

The Rotary Club of South Portland-Cape Elizabeth (Maine) has undertaken a grant with Partners for World Health to help support a new maternity ward in Uganda. One of the items that will be sent is called a "Mama Kit" as women in Uganda must bring their own birthing supplies. One of the items needed is a blanket to wrap the newborn...Bingo!...how perfect is that? After a series of communications between the Rotarians and Wrap-A-Smile coordinators, it was agreed that our quilts would be a wonderful addition to their project. The feedback for this idea from you, the quilters, has been so encouraging.

Amazingly, the collection point for the quilts was only a few miles from my home where I had 125 quilts ready to be shared, further proof that this was meant to be. I headed to Portland, Maine to meet Nancy, the Rotarian Leader of the project. After the transfer of all those quilts from one car to another, we shared a delightful lunch and I learned more about the "Mama Kits" as well as the scope of setting up a maternity ward on the other side of the world.

Nancy then took the 125 quilts to be weighed at Partners for World Heath and added to the container to be shipped to Uganda. Wrap-A-Smile added 145 pounds of LOVE! I am so excited to see photos of them, each with a newborn wrapped up inside.

Thank you again, quilters, for all you do to spread creative JOY around the glove.

Paige Curtis, New England Coordinator