Wrap A Smile Quilts

Quilt inventory in the Rotaplast warehouse is finally beginning to shrink.  This is GREAT news!!  During the pandemic there were over 1000 quilts in storage, waiting for the day they would be needed.  Two hundred of those were finally shared in Colombia and Guatemala last year.    Rotaplast now has 5 missions confirmed for 2023. That   means another 500 quilts can be happily released from their captivity....and sent off on their missions of love and comfort.  Based on the above numbers, we will start collecting quilts again in September!!   Updated information for where to ship quilts will be added to this blog at a later date.  For those who may have missed it,   the Rotaplast mission in Guatemala last December devoted a whole blog to the story of Wrap-A-Smile , with lots of photos of quilts in action.  It's worth looking again at all these heart-warming photos.   https://rotaplast.org/2022/12/day-8-chuq-ib-keeping-warm/ Thank you to everyone who stayed in the loop, keeping all th

Such good news!  Not only is a Rotaplast team currently treating children in Guatemala, they are prepping for at least 4 more medical missions in 2023!  Doors and opportunities are opening.... and the backlog of children awaiting treatment is being addressed.  These pictures of 'quilts in action' will make you smile (and keep you quilting!).  Your quilts have brought comfort and joy.... and I'm positive there's a happy new smile hidden behind that mask. 😀 Please go to Rotaplast.org for more of the story from Guatemala.  The mission is ongoing. This last picture really speaks to me.  Can you imagine turning your child over to a stranger (who probably doesn't speak your language), to be taken behind closed doors for a surgery.  Your prayers are being answered but there's a normal anxiety. Then someone comes out and wraps your child in a beautiful hand-made quilt, before walking down that hall.... and you feel a quiet relief.   Thank you to all our quilters who b

Continuing our collaboration with Quilts Beyond Borders , all the quilts pictured below were delivered this fall to Comfort Cases .  Many thanks to the piecers and quilters who provided these warm hugs to kids as they start a new life with their foster families.  Even though our quilters don't get to meet the recipients of their quilts, they can know that their gifts of time and love have made someone else's life a little warmer, and a little happier.   As they say, "it takes a village".....  and we are always happy to welcome new friends into our village of quilters.  Please help us pass the word.  Let us know if you know others who would like to get involved with this wonderful work.  I can be reached at:   quilts7780@gmail.com  for more information. ~Ann

 I'm very happy to report that the two stunning handmade quilts donated to support Rotaplast brought in $800 at a recent auction.  That translates to EIGHT children having their lives transformed by the gift of facial surgery.  Plus... the two lucky bidders who will keep these treasures will forever be reminded of how people working together improve the lives of others.... a network of quilters supporting a network of Rotarians.... all making the world happier.  Thank you to Bethlehem Morning Star Rotary in PA for highlighting Wrap-A-Smile at their Rotaplast fundraiser.   And huge thanks to the quilt makers, Sue T of Anacortes, WA, for her blue stars and to Deb W of MI for her whimsical trucks.  The Sunshine Online Quilt Guild continues to earn my appreciation for linking together talented quilters with generous hearts. Thank you all!! Enjoy the auction wrap-up and pictures sent to me by event organizer Susan B:    The fundraiser was a HUGE success! We partnered with the PA Playho

Connections and teamwork cause good things to happen! A few weeks ago I was contacted by a Rotarian in Pennsylvania whom I had met pre-pandemic.  Remembering that I had attended her talk about the life-changing work of Rotaplast teams who "Save Smiles and Change Lives",  she was hoping that Wrap-A-Smile might have a quilt to donate for their fall auction, a fundraiser to support more surgeries.  Our quilts usually go directly to a child in need, but with the quilter's permission we sometimes share a quilt for fundraising.  Within hours of my posting this request to my friends in the Online Sunshine Quilt Guild , we were offered many quilts. And after some friendly voting we ended up with not one, but TWO fabulous quilts! What a generous network of quilters! Many thanks to Sue T of Anacortes, WA, for creating the Blue with White Stars quilt, and to Deb W of MI for sharing Happy Kids Driving Trucks.  I'd love to be a fly on the wall when these quilts are auctioned in

One of the joys of being involved with Wrap-A-Smile has been the opportunity to meet amazing new friends.  Quilters have to be among the most generous groups of people I have ever met.  And the network of connections is how we get things done! Looking again at yesterday's Rotaplast blog from Colombia, my eye kept returning to the blue and yellow quilt....not to mention that happy smiling face, and the balloon.... Looking through my records I found the quilt and remembered its backstory.  One of WAS's most prolific contributors, Jackie from Maine, mentioned that her sister Karen (a new quilter) was "looking for things to do". I suggested she might like to make one of the WAS kits of simple squares.  Well not only was that a success, but she asked for more....and more!  Eventually I started sending her other simple combinations, to get her feedback on what other kit ideas we might use.  The blue and yellow quilt was a result.  Having shared this story with them, I lear

FINALLY , some good news from Rotaplast .  The medical team has just returned from Colombia where they repaired clefts and changed lives.  They also gave a hand-made comfort quilt to each and every patient they treated.  I'm sure all these quilts were happy to be released from their storage facility and finally put to work! What a joy to see a lot of happy faces, and our quilts in action. Please look at  https://rotaplast.org/blog/ where you will find many quilt photos.  I would encourage you to read all of the posts as the writer gave a wonderful description of what's involved in preparing for, and accomplishing, one of these missions. I would like to make special note of Dr. Angelo Capozzi, co-founder of Rotaplast, retired plastic surgeon and veteran of 72 international missions (58 with Rotaplast).  I am in awe!!  I don't know his age, but know that he graduated from medical school in 1960....a remarkable man. Thank you to all our quilters who have helped brighten the d