Pine Ridge Reservation is the poorest spot in the USA. The average life expectancy for residents is only 47 for males and early 50s for women. The unemployment rate is 90% and the teen suicide rate is four times the national average. Basics such as running water, heat and food are scarce for many residents let alone jobs and health care. These challenges are particularly difficult to deal with given the geographical isolation of the Rez and the incredibly harsh climate.
They accept blanket squares of all sizes and fibers. No square goes unloved or unused. The squares are sent to Pam, a Lakota woman and seamer-extraordinaire, in Louisiana. After seaming, she sends the finished afghans to Pine Ridge Reservation social service agencies or individual families who request them.
- Knit or crochet your squares - it doesn’t matter which!
- Use any color (except all black or all white)
- Use any pattern (the less holes the better)
- Use any fiber you like - the warmer the better! Please note that if you’re using wool, superwash is preferred.
- Please mark wool because some people have allergies. Also, we need to know if the fiber is superwash.
- Please do not “knot & snip” or weave in your ends. Leave about 4” of yarn.
- All sizes are welcome, but 6” and 12” are preferred.
- If you can, enclose a few postage stamps in your shipment. Once seamed, Pam ships the afghans from Louisiana to South Dakota and it gets very expensive for her. This is NOT required but is very much appreciated.
- It is much easier to let you know when your squares arrive if you put a piece of paper in your parcel with your Ravelry name, real name and email address.
This group is a “sister” group to Pam’s Yahoo group which she created five years ago. You can visit and/or join that group at: [U][COLOR=#000000]http://groups.yahoo.com/group/loveafghans4prr/[/COLOR][/U]
Please send your squares to:
AS4PRR-Pam Little Sparrow Wingard
16854 London Avenue
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
70819
