Top Notchers 4-H Group is Top Notch!

Top Notchers 4-H Club made over 50 pillowcases!

                                 

      

Trick or Treat!

Supplying the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital with Halloween-theme pillowcases has become an annual tradition! The hospital throws a 'reverse' Trick or Treating party. Staff, nurses, and doctors go to each of the rooms with treats. Rumor has it the pillowcases are some of the kids' favorites!

Tripolis/Ebenezer VBS Kids Decorate Pillowcases

Check out these busy and creative kids!

Miles of Pillowcase Smiles Success!

2014 marked our fifth year participating in the nationwide Miles of Pillowcase Smiles Campaign. Minnesota volunteers made 2,879 pillowcases! The organization campaign total was 81,000! Wow - that's a lot of smiles!

Kohl's - 'Sew' Awesome!

Kohl's employees in Apple Valley are AMAZING! Thanks Kohl's for continuing to Care!

Hinckley-Finlayson Students Sew for ConKerr Cancer

Ms. Katie Pollock's Family Consumer Science class 

made pillowcases for ConKerr Cancer. 

Thank you!

Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare Music Camp Thanks!

Sewing at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities students, Karlie, Holly, and Hannah visited Lexi's room with their sewing machine.

Becker Middle School Penny War Challenge!

If you see a penny on the ground, do you pick it up? I do.  Going forward, whenever I pick up a penny I will think of the 7th grade students and staff at Becker Middle School in Becker, Minnesota. For one week the students of Becker Middle School held a Penny War Challenge.

The classrooms were challenged to bring in pennies to be donated to a charity.

WOW! WOW! WOW! They certainly rose to the challenge!


In December 2013 Lisa Krause, Family and Consumer Sciences teacher, informed me of the fantastic news that ConKerr Cancer was the lucky charity to receive the Penny War Challenge collection of $1626.71!

The winning "Jumpstart/Homeroom" selected ConKerr Cancer after being exposed to the organization in their Life Skills class, where they learned how to sew pillowcases.

After the students made their own pillowcases, they worked together to sew fabric donated by students and teachers.  In addition to the amazing cash donation they also donated 107 colorful pillowcases!

On April 1st, after having to reschedule several times because of weather, Bennett and I visited Becker Middle School. We spoke to the 240 7th grade students and teachers about the history of ConKerr Cancer, our experiences with ConKerr Cancer, and the importance of volunteering. We also thanked them for their INCREDIBLE generosity!

We were presented with a "big check" and the wonderful pillowcases.  Bennett and I left the school incredibly impressed by the students.  We could tell they were very proud of their contributions to ConKerr Cancer - as they should be! We are proud of them, too!

Cindy Kerr, founder of ConKerr Cancer, always says, "You never know where a pillowcase will take you." Well, I'm so happy a pillowcase took us to Becker Middle School!  Thank you!

Kohl's Keeps Caring

Apple Valley Kohl's employees go above and beyond for their community. They sew on a regular basis to support the Minnesota Chapter of ConKerr Cancer. As if that isn't enough, Kohl's donates funds to ConKerr Cancer to match volunteer hours. We love Kohl's employees!

Kohl's Volunteers are AMAZING

I was trying to come up with a title for this blog post and I just kept thinking how AMAZING the Kohl's volunteers are - so, that's the title!

Kohl's volunteers, organized by Sara Bauer, are continually surprising me with great news and pillowcases!  Recently, Kohl's volunteers donated fabric to Mrs. Sabel's Basic Family and Consumer Science (FACS) Class at St. Croix Falls High School in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin.  The kids learn to sew and ConKerr Cancer gets more pillowcases!  As Sara says, "Everyone wins!"  Thank you Kohl's volunteers AND Mrs. Sabel's FACS Class!

 

 

 

Then, in November Kohl's volunteers set up a giving tree at their store.  When the retail season slows down they plan to make more pillowcases from the fabric and monetary donations. 

What a great idea!!

 

 

I look forward to teaming up with Kohl's volunteers in 2014! 

 

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Students Sew Pillowcases

We met Hannah, a University of Minnesota student, at our spring sewing event at the Ronald McDonald House.  Hannah is a volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House.  After seeing the pillowcases and our sewing event, she decided to volunteer for ConKerr Cancer too!

Hannah and her friend/sorority sister, Stephanie, participated in a sewing event in June for victims of the tornadoes in Oklahoma and a sewing event for patients and families at the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children's Hospital.  They have become great volunteers and advocates for ConKcrr Cancer!

In November, Hannah and Stephanie hosted the first sewing event for students at the University of Minnesota. (Love it that all of the students are wearing U of M clothes!)

 

Here's the first pillowcase the group made:

Thank you Hannah and Stephanie for spreading the word at the University of Minnesota!!  Looking forward to meeting more of your group in 2014!

ConKerr Cancer Awareness

More and more people are becoming aware of ConKerr Cancer.  Here are a couple pictures of a fantastic window display set up by Toni, a volunteer in Ely, Minnesota. 

 

 

What a great way to spread the word!!  The pillowcases are ADORABLE!  Thank you Toni! 

 

Children's Cancer Research Fund - 2013 Annual Report

ConKerr Cancer volunteers walked in the Time to Fly event to raise funds for the Children's Cancer Research Fund.  We recently received their beautiful 2013 Annual Report. 

 

 

The below team identifies Team ConKerr Cancer as a $1,000(plus) fundraising team. 

Way to go team!

 

 

Team ConKerr Cancer for 2013

(Sorry team for the late blog post about this! Wow - I wish we had this warm weather today.)

 

 

 

10,000th Pillowcase Delivered!

 

The 10,000th pillowcase was delivery to the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children's Hospital tonight. This is the special little guy who received the case.  He gave a thumbs up and wanted to cuddle on it right away. His dad chose the Elmo pillowcase for him from a nice assortment. 

 

 

 

 

Above:  Bennett Olupo and our wonderful University of Minnesota Amplatz Children's Hospital contact, Sarah Blanchette.  Sarah helped us deliver our very first pillowcase in 2010.  She is a gem.

 

Many, many, MANY volunteers helped Minnesota reach the 10,000th pillowcase milestone.  Whether you contributed one pillowcase, or several hundred, we couldn't have done it without you!  Thank you so very much.