Even better than recycling...

Lately, I have been seeing a ton of televisions offered "free" on Freecycle and the free section of Craigslist.  It baffles me that people never think of donating perfectly good working televisions & DVD players to their local children's hospital or nursing home.  When I mention this to folks - it's like a lightbulb goes off over their heads.  Recently, I splurged and got a new television - but my 19" CRT television still works perfectly well and doesn't have any bad spots (why should it since I have only watched movies on it and am hardly a couch potato).  I confess - with my recent convalescence, I just decided I wanted a bigger and more energy efficient TV that doesn't weigh so much.  And a DVI to stream Netflix.

Rather than Freecycle my television and old DVD players, I called the Children's Hospital Family home - turns out they do need a TV and DVD players.  The Oakland Children's Hospital also need lots of other stuff - things that I never thought of for crafts projects and such.

Here are a few things that tickled my fancy:

• Art and craft supplies 
• Beanie Babies 
• Crayons & Colored Pencils 
• Crossword Puzzle Books: for both kids and parents 
• Games: such as Monopoly, Clue, Scrabble, Battleship, Chutes and Ladders, Yahtzee, Life, chess, checkers, Boggle, Trouble, Connect Four and memory games 
• Hot Wheels Toys, Small Cars & Trucks 
• Journals, Blank Books, NotebooksMad Libs 
• Magazines: for all ages, including magazines in Spanish 
• Mini Needlepoint Kits
• Playing Cards: including UNO, Old Maid, Crazy Eights 
• Safety Scissors 
• Scrapbook Supplies
• Stationary Sets
  
• Stickers 
• Knitting Yarn & Knitting Needles: all sizes (Family Resource & Information Center) 
• Crochet Hooks: (Family Resource & Information Center)
• Booties: Knit or crochet baby booties (including preemie size)
• Favors: Make tray favors or origami for patient meal trays
• Sew: Sew a quilt or wheelchair backpack. Please use only new, not used fabric.

I think I am most likely to make up a bunch of twin size quilts with small pillows to send sick kids home with sweet dreams.  Last little girl who received a quilt I made said it was "magic" - a big red velvet heart with gold fringe on a field of 8" wide alternating green & white patterned and white bands.  I've been kind of thinking about making less pattern oriented quilts and using up some fabric - but using a simpler background to do some fun applique stuff - and maybe these kids can be my guinea pigs.  :)

I wonder how kids would love the little creatures that Hannah at Bittersweet makes, like the cute little froggy.