Our helping hand has been extended . . . diapers and wipes until 30 months of age!

It's hard to believe the third Thursday of the August has come and gone, but it has. . . our attendance was not quite normal this month.  We're guessing the earliness of the 3rd Thursday coupled with the lovely weather and the county fair may have come in to play.  

We had our Board meeting last month, making some decisions affecting the level of our future services.  The most notable was the decision to extend our help with diapers and wipes until the babies reach 30 months.  We have been blessed with the support of our community, therefore we felt we would extend our services to help these little ones just a little longer.

A few other things to note:

• We need to restock our supply of children's books -(we encourage the siblings to help themselves to any of the books in the Big Book Basket we have in the Narthex).  So if you have any children's books you'd like to find a new home for. . . please think of the pantry.
• We are in need of baby items like - baby wash, shampoo, lotions and diaper cream.
• It's time to get the fall and winter clothes out for distribution - hard to believe, fall is right around the corner.  We want to thank Amanda Holsinger and her son, Alex for their efforts to keep the clothing donations organized.  
• Our September Bingo will be a shared fundraiser to benefit the pantry and Rachel Bowman's Handicap Van Fund (Rachel lives in our community and is a former DNR reporter that suffered a debilitating stroke several years ago-more details about Rachel will follow in the coming weeks.)  The Auction House has graciously allowed up to host our previous Bingo's at their place, in hopes of accommodating a larger crowd we're moving the BINGO to the Plains Community Center in Timberville.  As an added boost to another great organization the folks from Campers Against Cancer Relay for Life Team will handle the food for the evening.   If you would like to sponsor a basket or have another item to donate, please contact Debbie Miller - 432-6728
• Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 21st!
• Doors open at 3:30 PM
• Bingo starts at 5 PM
• Pre-sale tickets 4 for $25 - call 432-6728 or 383-7564 (special pre-sale drawing)
• Cards at the Door are $10 each or three for $25
• Caller:  David Joseph
• 20 games - all the baskets are filled
• Prize table game - 100+ prizes
• 50/50 drawing and raffles for two handmade quilts, one a flannel "rag" quilt, the other is called "Counting Sheep".

September Pantry is September 19th 5 - 7 PM.  For those we serve, please bring your WIC and/or SNAP paperwork as well your baby!  

For those of you that continue to drop off items at J & B's Country Store (Ben Franklin), at the church, or dropping a check in the mail -  thank you, thank you, thank you!  This outreach could not continue without your support.

Stay tuned, more information on the BINGO to follow!

Bev 

A Small Hand-Plains District Board Meeting

When:  Thursday, July 25, 2013    6:30 PM

Where:  Bev London's house

You need not be a member of Rader Lutheran Church to serve on our Board. 

We'd love to have a few new faces.  

Please send me an email-ashpd.bev@gmail.com or give me a call 578-0779 for directions.  

It's hard to believe we will start our third year in just a few short months.   Now to plan - we want to continue to serve the babies and toddlers in our community!  See you Thursday!

Bev

Almost Forgot!

Almost Forgot!

A Small Hand-Plains District will be open from 
5 - 7 PM, tomorrow evening, Thursday, July 18th.

Wow, the time is just slipping away. . .I'll get everything updated as soon as possible.

More to come next week - after our Board meets.  I hope to have lots to share with you.

Thank you for your continued support.  We certainly couldn't do it alone!

Bev

Summer's Almost Here!

Hello All!

We are having a great spring.  Correction, we had a great spring!  I don't know where the time goes?  What I can tell you though, every month we see the babies grow.  I guess that's a good gauge of time.

We had picture night at our last Pantry.  Tom Brower Photography graciously came to take photos of the babies again this spring.  The families will have some pictures to pick up next week!

There were two little girls that recently had birthdays, Lily turned six, Morgan turned 11!  In lieu of birthday presents they asked for pet food for the SPCA and Size 4 diapers for ASH-PD.  What a lovely gesture on their parts.  We are very blessed to be the recipient of such kindness by people of all ages.   

And the kindness continues. . .we still receive anonymous "gifts" dropped off at J & B's Country Store, members of our staff and the Church.  We are so grateful for the many kindnesses we've been shown.  Each month several of our babies age out of our program, each month they are replaced with fresh, new faces.  We are thrilled to be a small part of their lives.

Thanks so much for helping us remain a viable "Small Hand".  We couldn't do it without you!

Thanks for checking up on us, we appreciate all you do for the babies.  Have a great day!
Bev 

PS   Thanks to you-Pantry will be open Thursday, June 20th from 5-7 PM. 




  

Spring Has Sprung

Hello All!

Spring has sprung!  While we have had some of our babies celebrate their second birthday - thereby aging out of our program, we have met several new little faces this past month!  

Next month, Tom Brower Photography will return to our Pantry to take photographs of the babies and their families.  Tom joined us several times last summer, taking pictures for us - we then have 5X7s, 4X6s and wallet size photos made for our families.  Tom volunteers his talents and a private individual covers the cost of the printing the pictures.  No Pantry funds are used for this added little extra.  

Pantry will be open Thursday, May 16th 

5 - 7 PM

Our families should bring their WIC or SNAP paperwork, ID (showing proof of address in the Plains District) as well as their babies.  If you have not had your eligibility verified in the past 60 days - please don't forget your WIC/SNAP paperwork.  It's important that we keep all your paperwork up to date in order to continue our program. 

We'll see you on the 16th!

Donkey Basketball Game to Benefit ASH-PD

J. Frank Hillyard Middle School FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) are sponsoring a Donkey Basketball game with proceeds to benefit A Small Hand-Plains District! 

FCCLA donated $1,000 to A Small Hand-Plains District in 2012, please help them, help us again!

When:  Tuesday, March 12th.

Where:  J. Frank Hillyard Middle School gymnasium

Doors open at 6:15 PM

J. Frank Hillyard Middle School Pep Band will perform at 6:30 PM

Game starts at 7 PM

Spread the word!!

Come hungry and bring loads of folks with you!  

The concession stand will be open!  Proceeds from the concession stand will benefit 
J. Frank Hillyard Middle School's Relay for Life Team!

Come help support two great causes and have a fun evening with your family and your community!

Come on!  Get out of the house, it's almost SPRING!!!

March Pantry & Some Odds and Ends . . .

Our pantry will be open Thursday, March 21st from 5 - 7 PM.
We must ask our families to help us update our records.  
We offer assistance to families in the Plains District of Rockingham County.  Broadway School District - Fulks Run Elementary, Plains Elementary, John C. Myers Elementary, Lacey Spring Elementary, Linville Edom Elementary. 
Please bring the following:

1. Your baby
2. Your SNAP or WIC documents
3. Photo Identification w/proof of residence in the Plains District  

 As for the odds and ends . . .
We'd sincerely like to acknowledge Crystal Fleming's gift of clothing display racks.  Crystal was the Owner of Casual Fridays.  Earlier this year, after some five years of providing the area women a lovely boutique in which to shop, she retired.  We really appreciated the gift of those racks.  Our clothing bins were overflowing with tiny, little clothes.  
We are now able to display the clothing, the parents are able to view the colors and sizes without rummaging through bins on the floor.  It is heavenly. 

We wish Crystal blessings, happiness and good health in this new chapter of her life.  

We have served the families of 67 children since we opened our doors in November 2011.  Time flies and it has been a great deal of fun watching the babies grow.  It has been a pleasure, of sorts, when their families no longer need our assistance.  It has also been an honor when our families are able to help us help others.  

Coming later this spring:  Tom Brower Photography will return to take pictures for our families - most likely during May's pantry.  We'll let you know.

Thank you for your continued support.

Bev