Follow the Wings Of Love - a non profit organization

Wrapped Up In Love

Cancer survivor Marian Paola remembers her chemo well. "I often felt so cold while I was in the chemo room alone getting treatment. The nurses were great, getting me blankets, but I hated to bother them. Sitting there weighing my comfort versus theirs was a dismal."

Another challenge Marian faced was how to fulfill her desire to help others going through cancer. Not long after her treatment, Marian found a solution that answered both of her concerns. As avid seamstress, Marian was drown to a project called Wings of Love (www.followthewingsoflove.com).

Using left over pieces of fabric from her previous sewing projects Marian dove into making "wings" that can warm and comfort people going through treatment. A realization soon stuck Marian - "Who doesn't love a good, warm hug?!" She began sewing with even greater fervor, making enough wings so the children and parents from the Walking the Dinosaur program could each have wings to wrap themselves in a warm, loving hug, too. Donations of fabric have allowed her to create nearly 60 wings for the Wellness Community in just five months!

The children and teens in our recent Walking the Dinosaur group loved choosing from the array of colorful wings for themselves and their parents. Taking this picture of the kids was like trying to capture 6 butterflies with one swing of the net! Donning their wings, they took flight, their feet and hearts made lighter, it seemed by the wings on their back.

Thank you Marian, for your labor of love!

Our Friends at Natural Tease

When love has wings, hearts are touched. For years, Natural Tease has been helping the Wings of Love project. They silk screen the verses on fabric supplied through donations. Once the fabric has been washed, cut to size and dropped off at their business, it only takes a short time before they call for the collection pickup. As soon as Peg gets them in her hands, she begins distributing them to the Wings sewers and Wings of Love with the verse sewn right on make their way to many, in hospital, at the Ronald McDonald House, or through a personal special request.

Located in Lake Havasu City, AZ, Natural Tease has been in business for 28 years. Nancy and Dave Leamons, the proprietors, are frequent participants in community events and have helped many non-profit organizations through their business. We are thankful and proud to have them help us too.

They first came into the Wings program during the run up to 2007 Relay for Life event in LHC. Jenny had a desire to supply Wings of Love to all the cancer survivors who attended. It was estimated the prior year that 100 survivors would participate. While gathering volunteers to help sew the necessary number of Wings, the idea to sew the verse directly onto the Wings instead of attaching a card which could be lost, came to mind. Finding a company to donate the silk screening service became a priority. When Natural Tease graciously agreed to do the silk screening, everything changed. Bless their hearts!

Wings on You Tube!

Peter Schuman of Lake Havasu City produced a story about the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life Event in Lake Havasu which highlights the Wings of Love that were distributed to the cancer survivor participants and some of their family members. You can view the story in four parts by visiting the following links. You can also access these links on the "Web Links" Navavigation from our home page.

Chapter 1   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjzISt65NFc&feature=related

Chapter 2   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ConAbzwTb2M&feature=related

Chapter 3   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dV_1Aqn-J3o&feature=related

Chapter 4   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aISfLmqbIZQ&feature=related

Sweatshop in production

Barb hosted a sewing day at her home on Sunday afternoon, Jan 11, 2009. The goal was to make as many Wings of Love as possible for Peg to distribute to the Ronald McDonald House of Greater Cincinnati as the first delivery with more to be provided as needed. So, Granny, Jane, Sally, Peg, Tamie, Barb, Emily, Leah, John and Jeff all worked for several hours to produce 69 Wings. They used the materials they had been collecting from flea markets, fabric store sales and close outs, donations and other general fabric hording as sewers are known to do. Each participant was able to choose what step in the process they wanted to work on, and they were off and running. Granny sewed on the pockets, Peg and Sally ran the Serge machines. Barb the quilting machine. Tamie and Jane cut and pinned. Leah made business cards, John and Jeff made the verse cards and threaded the ribbons and attached the safety pins. Barb remained the ever vigilant process expediter and provided "breaks" to those who needed one and stood in where necessary. She made sure everyone had snacks and beverages and more fabric and other supplies. They all had so much fun, they decided to do it again and maybe even make it a once a month event.

More wings to Africa

Once again Crossroads church is going on a mission trip to africa.
Sue and her teenage daughter Ali are going and taking wings with them.
Emily also works at Mercy hospital and she and her mom have made over 30 wings for her to take along to give away. Dr. Thress, one of our OB docs is also going on this trip. So please keep them in your prayers.

We also continue to give Baby wings to those little ones in our Special Care Nursery. The parents are always appreciative and those little babies look so adorable wrapped in their wings. Tamie

Wings of Love - Anniversary Update

It is coming up on the second anniversary of the creation of the first pair of Wings of Love (February 2006 for Sharon Geisler). It wasn’t until later in the Spring of 2006 that we really started sewing and into the summer before the International Association of Touchers was officially formed.

You may ask what have we accomplished in two short years. I’d like to take this opportunity to tell you.

We have introduced the Wings of Love to the world – literally. The wings have taken off and landed in Africa, Australia, Canada, India, Germany, Japan, and all over the USA. Not bad for a few ladies on a mission.

I’ve tried to keep the website current, but without you folks reporting back to me it’s hard to tell where else the wings have landed. So please take a few minutes to send me an email with your updates. (pegquallen@cinci.rr.com or Wingsoflove@cinci.rr.com)

Here’s mine:

Year Wing Maker Location Wings Patterns

2006 Peg Quallen Cincinnati/Newtown Ohio 254 15

2007 Peg Quallen Cincinnati/Newtown Ohio 618 47

2008 Peg Quallen Cincinnati/Newtown Ohio 56 1

2006 Betty Jane Dziech Deer Park/Cincinnati Ohio 3

2007 Betty Jane Dziech Deer Park/Cincinnati Ohio 21

2006 Carolyn Thullen Cincinnati/Newtown Ohio 6

2007 Carolyn Thullen Cincinnati/Newtown Ohio 6

2008 Carolyn Thullen Cincinnati/Newtown Ohio 2

2006 Jenny Wern             Lake Havasu City AZ          ?       16

2007 Jenny Wern             Lake Havasu Ciry AZ          ?

2008 Jenny Wern             Lake Havasu City AZ          2

2006 Barbara Timmers Cincinnati/Amelia Ohio 10

2007 Barbara Timmers Cincinnati/Amelia Ohio 8

Thanks to everyone who has participated in the making and distribution of the Wings of Love – you have helped share the love and comfort needed by us all. God Bless you.

Peg

More Wings on way to Africa

More wings of love have left with several volunteers going to Mamelodi, Africa. Crossroads church has left for their winter mission trip to Africa and the girls were very excited to be taking wings to once again hand out.
There will be another trip in the fall and they want to gather some more wings to take with them. They are hoping to take some more adult wings so anyone willing to make a pair or donate material let me or Peg know.
And thanks Peg for making all the wings that went on this trip!! Tamie

Prayers for Lucy

My brother and sister-in-law have good friends who's 5 year old, Lucy, was just diagnosed with leukemia. I have sent a cute pair of wings Peg made with flowers and Sesame street characters on it for her along with a prayer card. She is in Children's Hospital in Cincinnati and Jenn told me her mom would really like to get lot's of people praying for her. So say your prayers for Lucy. Thanks, Tamie

Hospice of Havasu Volunteers get Wings at Graduation

During the hospice volunteer training graduation ceremony on June 27, 2007, the graduating class received their very own set of Wings of Love. These Wings were made by several Lake Havasu City Wing Making Volunteers including Jenny, Janice and Barbara.

Photos of the Wings are in the web site photo gallery under the category Hospice Volunteers - LHC, AZ.

Plans are in the works to start a sewing group to make Wings for the Hospice clients in the future.

Donations of fabric for Hospice patient Wings can be dropped off at the Hospice of Havasu office, attention Mary.

Mary Makes 53 Pairs of Wings

Mary C. read the article about Peg and the Wings of Love in the Cincinnati Enquirer on January 29th. She called and talked to Peg and requested a pattern. Peg invited Mary to join her at the Project Linus Make a Blanket Day that was being held in Mary’s neighborhood so they could meet each other. Peg reminded Mary to keep track of all the wings and recipients so it could posted to the website.

On June 16th Peg received a note and list of 53 names and addresses of the people Mary had made wings for. Here is the content of her note:

Hello Peg!

For a few months this year I was really sewing “up a storm”, here are the names of the people that I gave them to so far.

These past few weeks have not been sewing weeks for me. Maybe I will get “in the groove’ again after summer is over.

My stash of material is running short and some of my enthusiasm is too.

My Best to you,

Mary C.