Hope the Traveling Doll

A glimmer of hope....

Hello everyone and thank you for your interest to take part in this unique endeavor!

The Adventures of the Traveling Doll
have begun!

She is a WoolCreations Doll. Her name is Hope. Hope will be sent into the world on an adventurous journey. Her goal is to visit children all over the world, starting out right here in North Carolina, where she was born. Hope will leave here with a “passport” that should get “stamped” for proof of where she traveled to, a suitcase that may be filled with small gifts for the doll given by the children Hope stayed with, and a journal that hopefully will be filled over time with encouraging words, memories and wishes.
Hope’s goal is to bring some unique and happy moments into children’s lives. Children who are not as fortunate or who need some special attention brought to them.
I want Hope to visit Children Hospitals, Orphanages and other places devoted to the care of children.
Doing this I need help!
I need volunteer families that would like to invite Hope for a visit and bring her to those children. Families that have a connection to or have been touched by those children in need.
The hosting family will take pictures of Hope’s adventures and be responsible to post the story of her visit on Hope’s very own blog.
“The Adventures of the traveling doll".
Making it possible for others to read and follow Hope on her wonderful journey.
Please contact me via email
adventuresofthetravelingdoll@woolcreations.com
if you are interested in hosting a visit of the traveling doll.
Tell me where you would like to take her to bring joy to children.
Very important for all of this to work is:
If you volunteer in this wonderful endeavor I need to ask of you that you are willing and able to continue sending this doll on to her next destination (which will be provided to you) or back to me. The doll has to be sent via USPO mail (at least) with delivery confirmation and insured up to $200.00 to ensure safe delivery. The doll should not stay in one place longer then two weeks, exceptions are possible.

After one year of traveling around the world Hope, her passport, her suitcase with clothing and her journal will be raffled off as a set. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the Shriners Children Hospitals http://www.shrinershq.org/Hospitals/Main/

I am planning to offer raffling tickets on www.Hyenacart.com/woolcreations once Hope returns from her journey and a winner will be drawn from all entries. I don’t want to start a raffle before, because sometimes things happen that we don’t have influence over. I would not like to have to reimburse all money because Hope has not returned or is held in customs.

I would like to continue this as a WoolCreations tradition. Year after year I would like to send Hope into the world, to draw attention to the needs of our children.
Even though I can only have a small impact on the needs of our children, I know that with the help of many a lot of things are possible.

Comments, posts, photos and drawings posted to this blog are the property of woolcreations.com. Through use of this blog you are accepting these terms and conditions, all copyrighted material will be noted in any reproduction and credit provided the copyright holder.

Travel Itinerary

Everyone who has invited Hope into their home so far has had wonderful ideas. She will be visiting so many different care centers for children that you will find it amazing to follow her travel. She is almost booked for the first half year, traveling around world. Thank you all who make this possible!

All of the dates given are just an estimated schedule for Hope. Please keep in mind that shipping might take a little less or more time.

June 24th (+-) with Sunshine in California (leaving around the 8th of July)
July 18th (+-) with Shadow in the United Kingdom
August Marcie in TX
September 25th (+-) Jennifer in British Columbia Canada
October 15th(+-) Lori in Canada
November 15th (+-) Jen and Cat in NY,
December flexible date for Julie in NY
January continuing
February Sabrina NY, Jenn
March home to NC to get stitches
April visiting South Africa with 3 families (4 weeks?)
Yeah! She made it to South Africa

Hopes drawing on random.org

The winner is  Shadow

Shadow and her family have decided to donate Hope the Traveling doll to the Shriners Hospital for Children.
Thank you so much, Shadow!

You may check for details of the drawing at
http://random.org/draws/details/?draw=809

I am anxious!

I can't wait for the drawing to start. On one side I am happy that Hope will find a new home and then again, I will have to let her go. My heart has been traveling with Hope and I appreciate all the help I received for this to work out.

I also want to thank everyone who have emailed me to get involved in the second round of Hope around the world. I am working on it :) it will happen again. Please email me if you are interested @ travelinghope at woolcreations.com


Hope the Traveling Doll Fundraiser
 

A heartfelt Thank You!

to Sunshine and Brenna, Shadow and her 3 boys Ocean, Tallin and Nayan, Marcie and Madeline, Jennifer and Avari,  Lori and Rowan, Julie and her boys Kieran Eamonn and Brennan, Sabrina, Ryan and all the children at Little Star Daycare,
 Carle and her family, Nolundi and her son Fuzile, Eloise, the Ashley Cooper family, Ryan, Tracy, Jessica, Alex and Jaap, Caleb, Hannah and Sheth, Liz M., Jenna, Anokha and Rahul and all the wonderful families in South Africa who took her in. Please forgive me if you were part of Hopes adventures, but were not named here.

Hope on CNN's ireport

I-report on CNN

Enter the Drawing

Enter the Drawing to have a chance to adopt Hope into your life.

Fundraiser for the Shriners Hospital for Children

Hope the traveling doll - Drawing

Hope will be available for drawing entry at 12:00 pm EDT, Thursday, July 16 to August 31, 2009

Sharing Hopes Journal with You

I want to share with you the words written on each page of her journal.


July 4th, 2008
Independence Day in the USA!
Hope went to her first baseball game. She saw fireworks after the game, but it was a bit scary - so loud! :)


 
WALL-E
Hope saw her first movie with Brenna Grace (and her parents). Hope especially loved the popcorn!



July 26th - August 2nd 2008
Hope on her first camping trip.
We stayed in the forest of Dean, UK.
Bedtime stories with Tallin in the tent.
Riding on a steam train with Ocean.
Checking out the Shetland Ponies before walking in the woods.
In front of a pit wheel. Coal mining country. Hope decided not to join our trip down the mine itself.



Aug.21-Sept.4th in Texas
August 21st Hope arrives just in time for a pajama party at Madeline's group therapy!
The rainbow is a lot of fun!
Hope really enjoyed the lycra swings at therapy and story time.
Hope met Madeline's friends and they loved her.
Hope went almost everywhere!
Hope met grandpa!
Hope did a lot of traveling with us out and about!
Hope you'll be missed and hope you have some safe and wonderful travels!
Love, Marcie and Madeline



Beginning of Fall - Hope visits Powell River
She made it through customs in perfect shape!
Just in time for our fall fair!
Hope gets to attend a few classes of preschool fun b the local infant development program for kids with special needs.
She also gets to attend classes at our local Strong Start Program. A parent involved early development preschool.
Hope says "Phew! tat is a lot of school!
Hope also got to ride along with Kevin to work many days. Kevin works with children who have secial needs and development.
Hope got to spend Canadian Thanksgiving weekend with a little girl who was diagnosed with leukemia last year. She is still undergoing Chemotherapy treatments, but will hopefully be well very soon.
During her visit Hope touched so many children. She got to dance, sing and play with them, and they had a wonderful time learning about her adventures. We enjoyed having her with us!
Now she is off East!
(Just after Hope arrived I did a camara swap and unfortunately was left with a battery-less camera. I ordered on but id did not arrive until just before Hope left, so we are doing a picture journal.)

 

November in Northern Ontario
Hope attends a music class and has a ball dancing!
Hope arrived in Ontario just in time for Halloween. She and Rowan went Trick or Treating ~ Hope dressed up as a Fairy Queen. Rowan adored having Hope visit and inspired by Hope's camping trip in the UK, took Hope on a little camping trip of her own, in the living room!
Hope dipped her toe in lake Bernard, The world's largest freshwater lake without a island.
Hope attended the November 11th Remembrance Day service at the Royal Canadian Legion. She heard the children;s choir and poems, watched the laying of the wreaths, observed a minute of silence and heard bagpipes play (they were loud, she covered her ears!) She got a hug from 93 year old World War Two Veteran Sam (who had to be convinced to hug a doll).
Hope got lots of hugs at Sunday School from a little girl with special needs. She enjoyed a special service all about the hymn 'Amazing Grace'.
Rowan (Age 3) will miss Hope, but has been so proud to tell everone that she is a "Trabelling Doll" who is on her war "Around the World".
It was a joy to have Hope in our home!
She met many of our townsfolk and was warmly welcomed by the mayor. She arrived in a gorgeous Indian Summer time and left with several feet of snow on the ground and ice on the lake. We send her on her way with blessings and good thoughts for her journey. We hope she touches other lives as she touched ours!



Christmas 2008 with the Davids in Upstate Ney York
Hope, Eamonn and Brennan
Hope arrived just in time to decorate the tree. Little did she know she would end up on the tree and go for fast ride on the train under the tree. Those crazy boys!!
Hope visited first grade with Kieran. Mrs W. read a story while Hope got passed from lap to lap.
We also got to listen to the schools holiday concert and got a drink from the pint-sized fountain. Eamonn didn't share his lollipop (Hope doesn't have teeth)
Eamonn, Hope and Kieran "sleeping"
Sadly the boys' grandpa passed away right before Hope arrived. We all got to spend 2 days in ahotel visiting with lots of cousins (23!) Some of them taught me to finger knit.
Hope with Lulu's handmade childhood doll.
Befor Hope left we had a snow day. She is snuggled iup on the sled with Eamonn and the teddy and blanket he got at Shriners Hospital for Children. (His appointment there had to be rescheduled because of snow.)



January 28th, 2009
Visiting with the Skinnner Family and Little Star Daycare
Hope arrives in Stanwix Heights, NY...
with no clue of the adventures in store...
Sadly many of our pictures did not develop :(
Check out Hopes blog for more pictures of our adventures
Happy Valentine's Day Hope!
Partying with Little Star Daycare.
Riding with Jonah to a Dr. appointment. They made that potoface together the Sunday before during Chruchschool.
Hope made many friends during her stay with us and we were all sad to see her go, but are very excited to hear about her future journies. She was a great source of comfort when one of our children suffered a loss.
Ryan fixes Hopes hair at Pack 39's pinewood derby. Hope also attended Faithclass with the Cubscouts and listened to a Minister from South Africa. Speak about his journeys there. Shc also visited a baseball cardshop and earned her collection badge!
Ryan and Hope got to visit Elmo and friends. Ryan and Hope had so much fun singing and dancing to the music. Ryan carried her in a sling the whole time!!



Hope arrives in Africa



March 9th, 2009
Holding Hope in your arms
Eloise M., 8 yrs, took one look at Hope in Carle D.'s hands, took her in her arms, held her tight, and burst out in tears. Holding her tight, she wouldn't let her go. She stayed with us!! Thank you that Eloise could hold Hope in her arms. (South Africa) -her mom



Sweet Hope arrived ad was immediately loved by everyone who met her. She was scheduled to visit 3 families, but eventually visited 6 families. The next few pages are a record of her time in Africa.
Cape Town - She met Nolundi (a professional weaver) and spent time with her willing on Fuzile's recovery from extensive burns. Nolundi gifted Hope with a handwoven organic cotton/bamboo blanket. Hope adopeted Thandi. Tandi represents the orphans in Africa.
Her next important visit was to !Khwattu. !Khwattu offers the bushmen (Khoi San) a space of safety to work and live while honoring their culture and heritage. This was a very special visit for me, my soul was touched.
Hope visited us, the Ashley Cooper family for passover this year (2009). We were joined by Ryan, Tracy, Jessica, Alex and Jaap. We lit candles, ate lamb and had chocolate mousse for pudding all while we were standing. Hope enjoyed the children lighting their own candles.


Hope also became a cub scout - she has the pruple badge on her waist coat.
Caleb, Hannah and Sheth absolutely love Hope! We have a fight over who sleeps with her!
Hope is learning to be an artis. Greg (daddy) is an artist (contempery artist) in South Africa. He does portraits of people.
Happy Birthday Oma! 85 today. Hope withOma and Hannah
Hope voted with us on 22 April 2009/ South African elections! The line was 3 times longer than this - we stood for over an hour and  a half!
Hope has been given a protrait of herself by Greg. I hope you like it. We enjoyed having Hope with us!
Thank you!
 


03 May 2009
Hope flys with Liz M. form Cape Town to Lanseria Airport, North of Johannesburg en-route to Benoni, Gauteng!


11 May 2009
Hope is in Benoni, Gauteng!
Here ou can see her sitting with Jenna on Mothers Day. We had a wonderful day with Hope, everyone loves her. She has been staying with us for 2 weeks and we are all very fond of her and wish her well on her travels... Many thanks!
Polokwane, Limpopo - South Africa 20-28 May 2009
Hope arrived on the 20th of May and she stayed with us for a week - too short!
In this week Hope went with us for our swimming and music classes. She also played dominoes (our favorite family game for now) everyday and had great fun. We thouroughly enjoyed having her with us. With love, Anokha and Rahul.
We visited a  Alpaca farm and Hope rode a baby Alpaca. And so her journey in Arfica ended.... we will miss you but will always have Hope in our hearts.
With much love, Carle

Hope is back in my arms

It was a long year away from her cradle, but finally Hope returned home. When the package arrived I was stunned. Without a doubt it was the most colorful package that I had ever received, covered with the most beautiful South African bird stamps.

I opened the package and pulled out beautiful South African merino fiber that Carle was so nice to have stuffed into the gaps. Then I pulled out Hope. She was holding her little doll that she received first when she arrived with Carle. Next I pulled out a woven doll blanket that is embellished with a crochet heart and her journal.

Oh my, I couldn't wait to see her journal and sure enough it is filled, but the last page.  On the buttom of the box I found the beautiful painting of Hope by Greg Ashley Cooper.

Tears came to my eyes and joy into my heart when I looked at all that had come together. Hope has touched so many families and has brought home so much love. I can't wait for her to find her final home to stay in, her final family to adopt her.

Hope with Thandi, the orphan that Hope brought with her.

Hope with everything she owns. All the things she was given on her adventures, by all the wonderful people she got to meet.

Her suitecase and her journal are filled with wonderful memories.

Now we have reached the final moment. I will have to list her to raffle off on Hyenacart. Once I have done this, please inform everyone you know, thanks

Hope final days

We have so enjoyed having HOPE visit us, I have hardly had any time with her because she had a profound effect on so many people that I decided to let her spend time with them. Here is a detailed list of what she did in South Africa.

She arrived and was stopped at customs for a few days.

We finally collected her and I sat holding her with a teary face. Nolundi so loved her so quickly gave her a cuddle.

I brought her to my little town and Eloise,a local girl fell in love and cried, she did not want Hope to leave her arms. So we agreed that Hope would come home with me and that she would spend the Easter weekend with her, so she celebrated easter with Eloise and family.

After the easter she spent over a week with the Ashley-Cooper family. The 3 children had great fun with her and took turns to sleep with her. Caleb the eldest son decided that he wants a doll just like her. :-) She celebrated passover, She attended Voting day, took art lessons and sat for a portait painting.

Finally she came back to me and we visited the orphanage 'Home of Hope' to drop of toys and then after a very short visit, she flew to Johannesburg with Calebs Aunt Liz.

Linda Dawkins was so excited to recieve her on the Monday, and announced that 1 week would never be enough for her, she said she needed 2 weeks [oh the power of Hope!] Here she was part of the big familes Montherday celebrations.

After the 2 weeks she was posted overnight to Renuka Remroops family where is went to paino and swimming lessons. She did not have a costume so she just watched.

Finally she is back in my arms, we took her to the local Alpaca farm and she met the new borns.

I know that I am supposed to post her but I need another day...

Carle has been very busy and not been able to update the blog, but here is what Hopes adventures look like so far away from home. I wish I could be there also!

Copied from Our holistic life

!Khwa ttu is so worth the visit. On arrival we met a young orphaned San man who's life will be good because of his connection to !Khwa ttu. He is 15 yrs old and speaks 3 languages and hopes to become a tour guide.

Here is is holding HOPE. [and he is hope - :-)]

The HS outing to !Khwa ttu was unfortunately cancelled very late on the day and we had decided to be early, so we got there as the outing was being cancelled.

Terri and I had travelled together so we decided to enjoy the location and show the kids the photo gallery, craft shop and the manager put on a DVD that detailed that hunting techniques used by the San people. It showed the children the importance of the animal tracks and how the San people become so in tune with the animal they are hunting that they start 'being' the animal. VERY FASCINATING!

As we were leaving, Terri stopped the car are suggested to the kids they look for springbok tracks - Zooooooom they were out the car and up to the challenge. Caleb [the adventure seeker... ] was in the lead and followed some tracks until.....

Yes! He found a dead springbok..... [So what are the odds on that happening?]




Mike the manager inspected the find and confirmed that it had been dead for about a week [poooo... it sure smelt like it!] and then he removed the horns for the children. He then spent time with the children showing them how the termites build their clever nests.



The day was better than we could have hoped for and it was so nice to be there with friends.

I just got an email from Carle

I thought I share with you what she is writing and show you the paining that was created of Hope.

Hi Everyone,

Terris hubby is an amazing artist who has done a great painting of
Nolundi [one of my weavers] and of HOPE the traveling doll.

Check out his works here:
http://gregashleycooper.blogspot.com/

And on his other blog
http://onedaygregpainted.blogspot.com/

So far HOPE and spent time with two families and has traveled to
Ikwatu, celebrated Passover, celebrated Easter and went to the
Elections. [serious multi cultural times she has had….] Next week
HOPE will leave the Cape to visit the next family on her journey. I
will update her blog soon [I hope - :-)] and will let you all know
once I have.

In case you were all wondering , the painting of HOPE will be
traveling back to the USA with her!

Love and Blessings
Carle

Finally in South Africa

This entry is copied from Carles personal blog and will hold you over till she has time to bring Hopes adventures here for you to read.

Yesterday we collected Hope from Customs and brought her home to meet Thandi, the orphan that will live with Hope. [ nice pun!].

She was dressed for a snow storm so we changed her into summer clothes.

Nolundi fell in love with her and rocked her for a bit. :-)

Oh my she is so special…
I then took her to the village were Alta’s daughter cuddled her and then started to cry big splashy tears from her huge brown eyes. She gave her back with my promise that Hope could spend some time with her.

04/23/09 02:51:09 pm copied from original blog