"A Case for Smile" - Janet helps Kids with Cancer

The Black River Quilting Group, meeting at the United Church of Ludlow, recently conducted a workshop to create pillow cases to be donated to "A Case for Smiles", part of ConKerr Cancer, a nonprofit making pillowcases for sick children up to 18 years old. These pillow cases will be taken to Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital in Lebanon, NH, an area center for the collection and use of the creative and imaginative pillow cases. Shown during the worshop are. from left to right, Janet Pace, Ginny Kottkamp, Lynne Croswell, Beverly Owens, Roberta Piper; and seated: Kay Predom.

In 2002, Ryan Kerr was diagnosed with a rare childhood cancer. ConKerr's founder, Cindy Kerr, began making pillowcases to brighten up his hospital room and to put a smile on his face. He loved it and she began making pillowcases for other children with cancer at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

In 2008, Ryan lost his very brave battle with cancer but the pillowcase project - now a not-for- profit called ConKerr Cancer - has grown in amazing ways. In just two years, Cindy and thousands of volunteers have provided over 53,000 pillowcases to sick children in hospitals across North America and in South Africa. School groups, sewing circles, church groups and fabric stores have all pitched in and are making pillowcases for the kids.

A quote from one dad shows how a little pillowcase can make a big difference to a young patient, “Things came to a head for my daughter last night when she refused to let anyone touch her. I think she just had enough poking and prodding as a child can stand. Well, the child life specialist brought her one of your pillowcases and since then, she has been more cooperative in letting the medical team access her IV and conduct diagnostic testing, she actually has become attached to the ‘magic pillowcase’.”

ConKerr Cancer has had a profound effect on the families we have already reached, and we are deeply committed to providing even more pillowcases – and smiles! – to sick children everywhere.

First Night in Burlington, 2008-2009

For the second year in a row, we joined the Kuntz's and Salerno's as we participated in Burlington's First Night to welcome 2009. The various programs we took in covered everything from French-Canadian rock to monsters of Vermont. Banjo Dan was a personal highlight. Of course, we did have to seek nourishment (pictured above) at Sweetwaters on Church Street. We avoided the usual parade since the wind chill temperature hovered around -16 degrees F (the walk back to the hotel tested our ability to endure Arctic conditions). Naturally, the entire proceedings had to begin with lunch at La Provence in Brandon. It was a very pleasant (although at times chilling) experience. Below is a photo of the group (sans Janet, the photographer) as we prepared to venture forth into First Night activities. And to the side is a pix of Banjo Dan's group.