Shout Out for the Red Scarf Project

Do you know about the Red Scarf project? Sponsored by the Orphan Foundation of America, the project accepts donations of handmade scarves and sends them to college students who have grown up in the US foster care system as part of a Valentine's Day package.

This will be my third year of participating in the program. My last red scarf was knit in December 2006. When I got my needles out last Christmas to make a third scarf, I found out they had moved the deadline to early fall and I HAD MISSED IT. I was very bummed out. But the deadline was moved up because OFA received 15,000 scarves the previous year. So many, in fact, that it seemed to have overwhelmed their volunteer staff who sort and package the scarves. How excellent is that?

There are so many kids in the world who don't have families. It is hard for those of us with Moms and Dads and daughters who giggle when you tickle their bellies to imagine, but it is true. Participating in this program is is a way for me to connect - ever so slightly - with someone who is overcoming great odds. Someone working to get a college degree and better him or herself without the support of a family. Hopefully this one little scarf will send a message to the recipient that I think he or she is fabulous and can achieve so very much.

If you would like to make a scarf, here are the details. Apparently it is quality over quantity now, given the love in the knitting community these days, so make it a good one. Also, if you post about the Red Scarf Project on your blog or somewhere equally visible, you may win a prize thanks to Scout.

Tomorrow I will announce the winner and prize of my own little contest. Yes, there indeed was a winner....so check back.