We finished reviewing and packing up all the top-quality wool garments for NGO Trust in Education. Our devoted local packing crew used some muscle taping up the bursting boxes. We always over-stuff to prevent the boxes from crushing. Terrific team work and greatly appreciated. Stephen McNeil, the associate director at AFSC, is very pleased with our cartons ...
This past weekend we delivered the last of our boxes filled with sweaters, socks, mittens, and hats. We loaded our rental truck on 9th Street, in front of the AFSC building. On the left side of this photo is Twitter's new HQ (retrofitted in the old merchandise mart) ... the neighborhood is changing rapidly. Mind-blowing, but that's another story. We're just a couple blocks from San Francisco's beautiful Beaux Arts City Hall. Sharon's on the right, Monty (our truck driver) and Ann on the left.
We drove our truck -- over the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge! -- over to the East Bay where TIE's founder Budd has a warehouse. Our boxes are added to Budd's other humanitarian supplies, and the whole mass gets staged for the plane to Afghanistan. This is Budd on the right ...
Why the blue tape? Why the orange tape? What's wrong with other colors? (Nothing!) The blue tape identifies our boxes as they move overseas as part of a large shipment. The orange tape is code for "girls sweaters" to help the distributors get the boxes to their intended recipients. We're not sure yet when the plane departs, but will report to our email list when we hear.
A big heartfelt thank you to the knitters and crocheters for Afghanistan. You are generous, talented, and caring. You keep all the packers motivated and inspired. Thank you for reaching out to the Afghan people during war time, especially after so many years. Can't wait until our wool gifts get to the Afghans -- imagine Afghan families wearing our handiwork on the other side of the world!
Thank you to Trust in Education for including the afghans for Afghans project on their plane and in their plans.
