VOTY, Home Town Hero & Bee Keeping

http://connecticut.news12.com/features/hometown-hero/hometown-hero-1.4102638

We have been busy! We have finally been recognized for the past 3 years’ efforts changing lives within the Bridgeport community! So far The Pink Pom-Pom Project has been recognized for a few awards, here they are:

2013 Best of the Gold Coast – Arts & Crafts

2014 Light A Fire – Moffley Media’s Grass Roots Pioneer

2014 The Pink Pom-Pom Project receives its 501©3

2015 Volunteer of the Year The Cardinal Shehan Center

2015 Hometown Hero – Channel 12 CT

We are revamping The PPPP’s mission and now going in to the community centers we currently work with and establishing like-skill programs like sewing, leather crafting and even bee keeping!!!!

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https://www.facebook.com/thePPPP/

https://www.facebook.com/ALITTLESQUARELLC/

 

 

WE WON!!!!! The Best Of The Gold Coast Award 2013

The Best of the Gold Coast Winner – Arts&Crafts 2013

Holy Moly! We were nominated as The Pink Pom-Pom Project (PPPP) for The Best Of The Gold Coast Awards 2013 and WE WON in the Arts & Crafts category! This is for the entire state of Connecticut!!!!

We have had a very busy year this first year, I might add, teaching Cancer survivors from The CT Challenge’s Cancer Survivorship Center how to knit and crochet through our Stitch&Bitch sessions (click here to watch video) on Mondays and Thursdays. They are also one of many groups helping us create the V.O.T.Y. quilts which are trophies given to outstanding Volunteers in local cancer support centers. It stands for Volunteer of the Year.

Shortly after we opened in October 2012 we started working with The Girl Scouts of CT, ages 7 – 13 years, teaching the Troops how to make Lavendar Sachets for cancer victims. This has become our staple craft for everyone to learn. We educate children about the importance of eating right and how to use Lavender as a natural soother. We taught over 100 Girl Scouts, who then in return earned their PPPP Badges. We have made and donated well over 300 sachets to local hospitals and cancer support centers!

In March of this year, we started working with inner-city youth from The Cardinal Shehan Center in Bridgeport teaching the importance of arts & crafts as a healthy and positive outlet for emotional relief. 80 children, ages 7 – 13 years, and counselors were bussed in to experience The PPPP space. It was a huge compliment, let alone, celebration of creativity and the children just loved coming!

Coming in September, we will be taking on The McGivney Community Center’s children as well, the sister center of The Cardinal Shehan Center, with an updated program involving arts & crafts, creative writing, and improvisational theatre. We will also be working on site with The Child & Family Guidance Center of Bridgeport, we are really looking forward to meeting their families in need!

Thank you Moffley Media for recognizing our little organization! This award means everything to us and shows that our hard work has not only paid off, but proved we are very much needed in the community! We plan to have an even better year starting in September by introducing more creative classes for children and mom’s at a little square.

On October 5th, we are hosting the very first ever Wiggle & Giggle Fundraising event at St Anthony’s of Padua church. Proceeds will go to support The PPPP and The CT Challenge’s Cancer Survivorship Center. It’s a Hoop-A-Thon of sorts with activities, food and fun for the whole family to enjoy! October 10th we are giving our very first VOTY quilt to the CT Challenge’s first outstanding volunteer.

Please spread the good word about our movement – it means so much to those who are already involved with The Pink Pom-Pom Project!

And remember to shop a little square, monies earned goes directly to support and provide FREE crafting materials and equipment for all of the organizations we are working with mentioned above.

Look at this way, it’s a modern version of the Charity Shop down the street. We just sell modern stuff for a cause!

CBS Sports Interview Jeff Keith: Brains Behind CT Challenge & The Cancer Survivorship Center, Southport, CT

Jeff Keith, Founder, CT Challenge & The Cancer Survivorship Center in Southport, CT

Saturday, April 6th, is a very special day. It’s a very special day not only to Me and every cancer survivor in CT, but to Jeff Keith as well, one of the Founder’s of The CT Challenge and the brains behind The Cancer Survivorship Center located in Southport, CT. April 6th is the day of International recognition for his very own life-long project: The CT Challenge and The Cancer Survivorship Center in Southport, CT.

Jeff Keith - College Lacrosse

CBS Sports, out of New York City, came to Southport 2 weeks ago and filmed Jeff’s remarkable story of survival, inspiration and the ability to overcome the toughest of disabilities where cancer consumed not only a limb but a professional career in sports causing what many would have considered as a life debilitating event.

Apart from providing after cancer care for survivors, Jeff’s view is that a positive lifestyle for those not afflicted with cancer will lead to a fulfilling life and therefor establishing preventative care. He sincerely believes that it’s not just the prevention of cancer, it’s just all around good health and wants everyone in and out of his facility to get that message!

Providing ‘After Cancer’ care, I like to refer to it because ‘post’ doesn’t describe the many essential informational classes, athletic activities and events, even nutritional and medical advice The Cancer Survivorship Center offers AFTER a patient undergoes Cancer treatments such as Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy. Think of this way: it’s an afterlife for cancer survivors facility to start emotional and physical empowerment, the know-how to start afresh and take control of your life again!

Having lived through the harsh, long, lonely treatments myself, most cancer patients would agree that when treatments finish, we all experience this so-called ‘Jumping Off The Cliff’ emotional bungee jump! Some of us even contemplate more Chemo – crazy thought, right? – to calm our nerves, making sure the drugs have killed off every single, floating cancer cell in our bodies and then some! But that’s not a wise plan for survival, The Cancer Survivorship Center gives everyone the courage to cut the chord and move on!

CLICK HERE: CT CHALLENGE & THE CANCER SURVIVORSHIP CENTER to check out the many classes they offer such as Yoga, Pilates, Nutrition, and even Personal Training by Trainers specifically trained for surgical and medical treatment recovery.

And last but not least, a very special Thank You to his life partner and wife, Karin, his foundation and faith; his partner and Co-Founder Bob Mazzone; Tamara Deyle, Program Director, Center for Survivorship; Julia Pemberton, Director, Communication & Public Affairs;  Sharon Taymor, Director, Survivorship Network & Outreach; Kate Lieder,  Psychosocial Services Consultant; Lee Crouch, Director of Development; Kate Banick, Program Associate; and the many other athletic, nutritional and medical staffers! This remarkable bunch should be applauded for their continuous efforts to bring light and recognistion to this great Center and cause!

Please watch and support this fantastic piece and support the CT Challenge and The Cancer Support Center by either riding in the CT Challenge Bike ride in July or donating directly to the Center! For donations, call Lee Crouch at 203-292-8722. Tell her ‘Alex’ sent you! $10-$10,000 will do anyone and everyone good! Every little bit counts!

CLICK HERE: CBS / CT CHALLENGE / JEFF KEITH

Move Over Taco Bell – Here Comes Kitchen Meets Girl & The Black Peppercorn!

Pina Colada Ice Box Pie by Kitchen Meets Girl

Once in a while there comes a time where you have to put the carrots and celery down and enjoy some of life’s little culinary mishaps called Junk Food. When I get into this mode, this ‘Foodie’ becomes the ‘Junk Foodie’. Understandably, right?!!! Amen to that sisters!

The Mighty Dragonfly!

Each day my son’s school publishes fun little facts about our planet, our Country, local stories about local restaurants, sports and events. Today’s main story was about the Mighty Dragonfly. I couldn’t help myself, so I have cut and paste the facts for your entertainment below. I must say, I am pretty impressed!

How A Little Flower Changed My Life & Theirs

It’s been a long time dream of mine to work with children who come from challenging family life and difficult community situations. I finally got my wish 2 weeks ago when the first 18 out of 80 children came to my little shop and crafted with me, Caroline, and Jen, our lovely PPPP Volunteer.

18 precocious young ladies marched up our stairs and screamed with joy at the colors, the tables, and all of the crafting materials they were about to touch and work with. It was hard to get their attention at first from all of the excitement, but once I held up the magical fabric circles to make our sachets, they quickly quieted down. Shhhhhhhhh…..

a little square’s Spring 2013 Fashion Show Benefitting The Pink Pom-Pom Project

Harry got hit by the Polka Dot Monster!

The results are in and it turned out more than I ever expected! There are a lot of firsts lately, my first store and my first fashion show benefitting the Pink Pom-Pom Project! I couldn’t be more thankful to those involved, proud and especially, pleased at the results!

And to boot, right after the event, we managed to sell $2488.62 in a little over an hour – that’s $42 a minute! And remember all proceeds go directly to benefit The Pink Pom-Pom Project – a crafting for emotional therapy initiative supporting locals cope with illnesses, special needs, and emotional instability by providing crafting as a means of therapy and expression.

Congratulations Laura King – Our BIG BLUE Game WINNER!

Big Blue In My Parking Lot – Where Will He Be Next?!

Helllllooooooo people, we have a winner! Last Saturday, one of our new customers at a little square LLC, played ‘Where’s Big Blue?’ and won a $100 gift certificate in store!

We decided to play this game to get our client’s children involved to play along in their favourite store and they did! She was the very first one to call and WON!

Congratulations and spend it well!

Happy Holidays!

Our Hearts Are Very Heavy

Our hearts are very heavy not only in the State of Connecticut, but all across the world, after having heard the terrible news that a gunman opened fire in Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT. The news has reported that 27 people are confirmed dead, 18 of which were children. My family only lives 25 minutes away from this quiet rural town, known especially as a working class town of good and friendly neighbours.

Dwight Elementary Celebrates Blue Ribbon Distinction – Yeah Shep & Carsen!

This year just keeps getting better, Shepherd and Carsen’s school, Dwight Elementary, was awarded earlier this year with The Blue Ribbon of Distinction award by the Obama Administration.