Jami,

How are you doing on the burn camp quilts? Do you need any others for this year? Let me know so I can plan accordingly to get you one or two.

Lauren-
I'm still working on them...always! And you know me, I never turn down a quilt for my "kids"! I will PM you my email address...

Word from the Nurses is that they are sending out 160 letters this year! Last year they sent out about 80 and had a total of 55 campers. Of those 55 campers, there were 12 new campers. I think I need to be scared for the totals to start coming in this year! I work on these little quilts all year long, so I do have some ready to be quilted, but I'm afraid I won't have enough this year to go around!

How have you been? Haven't seen you on here for a while! Keeping busy with work?
Jami

Jami, I am not familar with Burn camp quilts, what exactly is it that you need and by when?

Miki

Miki-
Every year there is a Special Camp in NW Iowa for kids that have had some type of Burn Injury. These kids come from all over this area. If they have been treated at the Burn Units in Iowa City, Sioux City (now closed) or Sioux Falls, SD, they are invited to come to camp when they reach 7 years old. Camp is for kids from age 7 to 18. All expences for camp are covered through fund raisers held throughout the year. Their only expence is transportation to either Iowa City or Sioux City to get on the charter bus for the trip to camp. (And camp staffers have been known to go and pick them up and return them home after camp.)
I started making quilts for these kids about 4 or 5 years ago. When I started, I did the cabin that our Fire Department helped sponsor which was 8 young girls. The next year, a quilt guild from Sioux City (IA) helped me and we made something like 55 or 60 quilts for every kid that attended camp. Ever since, I have done a quilt for every new camper that comes to camp. Sometimes it's as few as 8 (which is a good thing!!!) to as many as 15 kids.
My DH and I both volunteer on our small town Fire Department, which is how we got started helping with Burn Camp. All of my materials for the quilts are made at my personal expence. We have an organization here that has around 10 to 12 different Fire Departments that all contribute to our burn camp fund, which helps purchase every kid a t-shirt for camp, and goodie boxes (snacks, drinks, little trinkets, puzzle books, etc.) for every cabin. This year, we got them about 20 classic movies and a projector for presentations that the Nurses do at camp and other places. The movies are for the 5 to 6 hour bus ride to and from camp. Helps keep the kids entertained!
Camp is always held the week after the 4th of July. We always take time off and go to camp to help with Carnival Night. It's an absolute blast!
Now, the quilts that I do...I "try" to make them in the area of 47" to 50" wide by 58" to 60" long...give or take an inch here or there depending on the pattern that I use. Smaller sizes go to the younger and larger to the big kids.
Like I told Lauren, I NEVER turn down help for my "Kids"!
Hope this helps answer some of your questions...sorry to ramble on but this is something that is so close to my heart, it's hard not to ramble on about it!!
Jami

so can we help by making blocks and sending to you? and as you know, i do a fair job at piecing the tops i'm sure i can squeeze some blocks for you in amongst tax preparations, packing to move, etc. etc. - just holler!!!

Jami,
so if a person want to make a quilt would they make it and send it to you? More specific on the quilts:
1. Do they need to be 100%cotton can they be flannel?.

2. Size 45x45 or bigger?

3. Specific to a boy or girl?

this sounds like a great cause and I am sure I can make a couple just want to be sure I sure the right materials?

Blocks work! Flannels, although I have never used flannels, it will also work! I generally use 100% cottons, but once in a while, a blend may sneak in for block pieces, or backings. I know, I shouldn't, but I don't expect these little quilts to be around forever. There are a lot of these kids that are in the foster care system...sometimes, their quilt is the only thing that they can actually call their own. So sad, but true.
Sizes for the quilts, I like having them longer than wider...ballpark measurements 48" X 55"...plus or minus an inch or two in either direction.
You would be suprised by the number of kids that actually use these quilts for cuddle quilts and not all of my new campers are in the 7 to 8 year range...I often have kids that are 13, 14 or older as 1st time campers.
You can PM me for an address to send these to when you are ready to send something, okay?
Jami

Thanks Jami. So these kids often come back each year? The camp is not just for kids recently burned? I have a couple of tops I just need to quilt that I think would work for the camp. I will ask for the address when I get done.

Thanks Bunches, Miki!!
There are some of the kids that have been to camp 7 to 10 times! It isn't just a recent burn injury that gets to go to camp. Did you know that skin grafts don't grow? Some of these kids have at least 1 surgery every single year to re-do their grafts to accomodate their growing bodies! I can't imagine the pain that must be involved in that!
I have a great-niece that was burned when she was 6, when her Dad was stationed in Alabama. She had skin grafts done on her foot at Brooks Medical Center in Texas. She has been very lucky as she will probably never have to have another surgery to re-do grafts. Some kids don't, it depends on how serious the burn injury was. Hers were serious enough to require grafting, but I guess not serious enough to require more surgeries. I'm so thankful!
See here, I just keep going and going and going on about this stuff...like the Energizer Bunny!

Jami

Wow, Jami, I didn't know that about kids and skin grafts!! I always figured it would keep growing as the child did! Thanks for the info, and you just keep on going on about it - I don't mind!

Gerda