I project this to be a pretty good list of the items we will be needing to make this trip successful. Can you help?
9 extra large suitcases. They need have wheels and pulling handles and be sturdy enough to make a one-way trip to Jamaica. These bags will not be coming back to Kansas City. Do you have an extra suitcase in your basement? Or come across one at a garage sale or thrift store?
70 pairs of adult athletic shoes. These shoes need to have some life left in them. They don't have to be brand new, but if you don't want shoes because you've worn them so much they have holes in them, probably no one else does either.
140 pairs of adult athletic socks, ankle length. These need to be brand new. The amount of men's vs woman's depends on the amount of shoes we receive. But we always try to give 2 pairs of brand new socks with each pair of shoes.
65 cinch style back packs. These are very light weight, flat, and easy to transport. They also work as great backpacks. Do you have some leftover from a company event? I don't mind if they are advertising a product, as long as its okay for kids. Don't have 65? Thats ok. I'll take what I can, get where I can get it.
65 boxes of 24-pack crayons. I'm hoping for seven donors. Six donor would buy 10 boxes of crayons, and one would buy 5.
65 pairs of child scissors. I'm hoping for seven donors. Six donor would buy 10 pairs, and one would buy 5.
65 packs of pencils. Six donor would buy 10 boxes of pencils, and one would buy 5.
130 pencil grippers - enough to give each child two grippers.
30 packs of blue or black ink pens. These would be broken up so each child would have a few pens.
65 rulers, 12 inches long.
65 boxes of markers, the 'fat' kind in 8 primary colors.
65 boxes of colored pencils. The kind that comes with 12 basic colors.
65 kids books. These can be purchased from Scholastic for $1 each on their monthly book orders.
65+ glue sticks. Enough for each child. More would be a bonus!
Good job / Gold Star stickers. These can often be found at the $3 bin at Target and have 1000+ stickers.
Teacher supplies - Pens in blue, black, and red inks. Classroom decorations like colorful charts, large ABC cards, bulletin board supplies, a stapler and staples, chalk (small for writing on boards and sidewalk size requested).
Classroom/Library books.
10 soccer balls. These can be purchased de-flated for easy traveling.
10 jump ropes.
Finally - the means to get all these supplies to Jamaica. In the past we have flown AirTran, and been charged $50 per suitcase as baggage fees. Southwest Airlines is purchasing AirTran. Currently I'm not sure what the baggage fee costs will be. We do have the cost of hiring a large van to get from the airport to our hotel. ($100) We also have to hire a taxi cab to get from our hotel to Brown's Town. ($50) If you'd like to help with these costs, let us know.
Share your shoes, share your love, share your world.
If you'd like to donate to Soleful Suitcases and our upcoming trip in November 2014, there are several ways to help. You can donate your in-good-shape, still life left, adult athletic shoes. You can donate brand new adult socks. School supplies are always welcome. Shop on Amazon via the link on the right hand size so we get credit to help pay for baggage fees. Visit our GoFundMe page - http://www.gofundme.com/afj10s
www.facebook.com/solefulsuitcases twitter @RunningWithHart
Melissa Hart 119 N. Parker St. #143 Olathe, KS 66061
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
New Year, New Trip, New School, New Needs!
Hello everyone, and welcome back to Soleful Suitcases!
I know, I know. Its been almost a year since we were last in Jamaica. Its been almost a year since I updated this blog. But, honestly, there hasn't been much to update. We got home, shared our trip, and went about our business. However, a new trip is in the works. We are headed back to Jamaica in November 2014, and we are starting to gear up for our trip.
In the past we have adopted Servite Primary in Brown's Town. While this is still a great school, we have donated to it twice, and want to share our love with another school. So, at the suggestion of Tamara, one of our lovely friends, we have decided to adopt Brown's Town Infant School. They serve roughly 60 children ages 4-6 in a pre-school type environment. They have asked us for the basics - crayons, pencils and pens, markers and colored pencils, scissors, rulers, good job/gold star stickers, classroom decorations and charts, books for the children and school library, jump ropes and soccer balls. I'd like to, with your help, make this happen. My vision includes a back pack of some kind for each child, stuffed with a book and some basic school supplies. I'd like to give the school some of the other items they are asking for. And I'd like you to help. Will you?
My thought is I post a wish list here, or maybe use something like Sign-Up Genius. I say I need 6 people to donate 10 boxes of crayons, 10 packs of pencils, etc. You get the idea. You purchased what you commit to, and somehow get it to me. A few of us get together in early November to stuff the packs and get them into suitcases. And off we go. Sounds easier than I think it will be, but I believe it is possible to complete.
Along with the school, we will continue with the original purpose of this - bringing adult athletic shoes and brand new socks to those employees of the hotel we stay at. Those people continue to work hard, day in and day out, to provide for their families, just like we all do. Help me give them a hand up. I'm already starting to collect shoes. Please make sure there is some life left in them.
As always, please feel free to 'like' our page on facebook to receive updates in your feed. Share our page with your friends and family. Or if you think your business or employer would be interested in helping out, connect us.
Share your shoes, share your love, share your world.
If you'd like to donate to Soleful Suitcases and our upcoming trip in November 2014, there are several ways to help. You can donate your in-good-shape, still life left, adult athletic shoes. You can donate brand new adult socks. School supplies are always welcome. Shop on Amazon via the link on the right hand size so we get credit to help pay for baggage fees. Visit our GoFundMe page - http://www.gofundme.com/afj10s
www.facebook.com/solefulsuitcases twitter @RunningWithHart
Melissa Hart 119 N. Parker St. #143 Olathe, KS 66061
I know, I know. Its been almost a year since we were last in Jamaica. Its been almost a year since I updated this blog. But, honestly, there hasn't been much to update. We got home, shared our trip, and went about our business. However, a new trip is in the works. We are headed back to Jamaica in November 2014, and we are starting to gear up for our trip.
In the past we have adopted Servite Primary in Brown's Town. While this is still a great school, we have donated to it twice, and want to share our love with another school. So, at the suggestion of Tamara, one of our lovely friends, we have decided to adopt Brown's Town Infant School. They serve roughly 60 children ages 4-6 in a pre-school type environment. They have asked us for the basics - crayons, pencils and pens, markers and colored pencils, scissors, rulers, good job/gold star stickers, classroom decorations and charts, books for the children and school library, jump ropes and soccer balls. I'd like to, with your help, make this happen. My vision includes a back pack of some kind for each child, stuffed with a book and some basic school supplies. I'd like to give the school some of the other items they are asking for. And I'd like you to help. Will you?
My thought is I post a wish list here, or maybe use something like Sign-Up Genius. I say I need 6 people to donate 10 boxes of crayons, 10 packs of pencils, etc. You get the idea. You purchased what you commit to, and somehow get it to me. A few of us get together in early November to stuff the packs and get them into suitcases. And off we go. Sounds easier than I think it will be, but I believe it is possible to complete.
Along with the school, we will continue with the original purpose of this - bringing adult athletic shoes and brand new socks to those employees of the hotel we stay at. Those people continue to work hard, day in and day out, to provide for their families, just like we all do. Help me give them a hand up. I'm already starting to collect shoes. Please make sure there is some life left in them.
As always, please feel free to 'like' our page on facebook to receive updates in your feed. Share our page with your friends and family. Or if you think your business or employer would be interested in helping out, connect us.
Share your shoes, share your love, share your world.
If you'd like to donate to Soleful Suitcases and our upcoming trip in November 2014, there are several ways to help. You can donate your in-good-shape, still life left, adult athletic shoes. You can donate brand new adult socks. School supplies are always welcome. Shop on Amazon via the link on the right hand size so we get credit to help pay for baggage fees. Visit our GoFundMe page - http://www.gofundme.com/afj10s
www.facebook.com/solefulsuitcases twitter @RunningWithHart
Melissa Hart 119 N. Parker St. #143 Olathe, KS 66061
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