July 05, 2005
Who Woulda Thunk?!
(Wednesday Update: Leaving this up for today so as many people as possible can see The Good News!)
It being Tuesday, I was not planning on posting but I find that I have to because, well, in newscaster speak, this just in:
4,517!!!!
I'm speechless. Even towards the end, when The Number was creeping ever upward, I never imagined we would actually reach 4,000, much less go over by this much. The poor, dear folks at F.I.R.E. must have been suffocated under an avalanche of boxes these last few days--yet, somehow, I'm not inclined to apologize. Instead I'm inclined to climb up on the roof of this (unfortunately short but it's what I've got) building and shout:
Dulaan
Knitters
and
Blanketeers
RULE!
What's next? Now F.I.R.E. is in the mad rush to get everything sorted and packed before the ship date of July 15 and gearing up for their trip to Mongolia in October to distribute your contributions. In the meantime, a huge Thank You and a virtual hug goes out to:
- Each and everyone of you, from Washington to Vermont to Croatia to Germany to Tasmania, for the time you spent making the 4,517 wonderful, warm items that will soon be going to Mongolia
- Everyone who spread the word about the project, thus bringing an amazing number of people on board
- The LYS's who were willing to display the Dulaan flyers
- MaryLee and her mentally, physically and learning-challenged children for their contributions to Dulaan. You and "your" kids touched me in ways I can't begin to describe, MaryLee.
- The Girl Scouts in San Diego who made a mountain of blankets for the project
- My dear niece, nephew and sister for their support and their contributions
- The knitters who designed and shared unique patterns exclusively for the project, such as the Pinwheel Hat, the Ken Hat, the Dulaan Scarf, the Dulaan Hat, the Easy-On Mittens and so many more
- Cuzzin Tom who who so quickly grew to understand and believe in the power and generosity of the knitting community, who had a vision, and who made it come true
- TMK for designing the Dulaan logo and flyer, both of which were crucial in giving the project a strong and unique identity and which made it easy and enjoyable to proselytize about the project
- MaryB, for her inspiration, encouragement and Impossible Numbers which turned out not to be so impossible after all
- F.I.R.E., for the photos, for the regular reports on the growing numbers of items, for patience above and beyond, and for an unflagging belief in what they are doing
- Although they will never know the role they played in all of this, all the postal carriers around the world
- And, lastly, the little Mongolian girl who, for me at least, started it all.
Posted by Ryan at July 5, 2005 10:58 AM
Sing it with me: "Hey now, we're a rock star.....!"
Pretty damn cool, I'd say.
Posted by: Norma on July 5, 2005 11:14 AMWe rock. Plain and simple. And you and Cuzzin Tom rock too for suggesting it and getting the ball rollin'.
Posted by: Anne on July 5, 2005 11:52 AMThank YOU, Ryan! :-)
Posted by: Lee Ann on July 5, 2005 12:25 PMThank you for coordinating this! Pat yourself on the back too :)
Posted by: michele on July 5, 2005 12:29 PMRyan, in your thoroughness in thanking everyone for their efforts on this project, of course you neglected to mention yourself--you are too modest and giving to do so, so let me do it here now.
THANK YOU to Ryan for the blog and the inspiration to keep this project going--for all the wonderful, funny, poignant entries that kept us reading, for posting the pictures of the finished objects and of Marylee's kids and of the girl scouts and of Frankie. Thanks for having a garden party and being such a wonderful hostess. Thanks for all the time you spent in emails with FIRE and with members of the Brigade. In other words, Ryan, thanks for building a community.
Thanks, too, for having the good fortune to be related to Cuzzin Tom, a monk among monks!
Dearest Ryan, because of all of your images and words, humor and enthusiasm, you kept us going, kept us focused, and without this forum, we would NEVER have achieved this goal.
Job well done, Ryan!!!!!
Hugs, Mary B
Posted by: Mary B on July 5, 2005 12:30 PMSpot on, Mary B. Spot on. Now I need a hankie. Not that I'm crying. Allergies you see.
Say, now that we've pulled this off, how about that commune idea? I say we bring that back. I still have bags packed, ya know.
Thank you, Ryan. You really are what kept us together and focused on the goal. Thank you for sharing your passion, your life and your family with us. Thank you for being a focal point and shining so brightly when it seemed all the world was watching. You truly are amazing.
Kudos to you, Blog Mistress! Hip hip, hooray!
Posted by: Stalker Angie on July 5, 2005 12:47 PMHot damn! That's a fantastic number. Terribly proud of all of us. And most especially you, Ryan. Your enthusiasm and dedication to the project inspired the rest of us. Hurray! Hurray!
Posted by: Nathania on July 5, 2005 12:57 PMWow!!!!
Ryan, thanks for all your hard work and excitement about this project. We wouldn't have done it without you.
And, thanks to Cuzzin Tom for inspiring this onslaught.
I'm still in shock over the final number....
Posted by: melissa on July 5, 2005 01:41 PMPlease also thank the folks of the Selma Community Center in Selma, Oregon for giving me the yarn to knit all the hats I sent when I was stranded there. I'm sure they would appreciate good energy sent back their way,they are on the web and they are tremendous in their outreach. While I have been able to move to Arizona, they are still there creating wonderful new projects in an impoverished Oregon community....they are the heart of charity. As all the knitters out there are, one strand at a time.
Posted by: vicki on July 5, 2005 03:38 PMCongratulations on an incredible accomplishment. Amazing. :)
Posted by: Jessica on July 5, 2005 03:51 PMWow. I'm absolutely amazed...and humbled to have been a part of it all.
Posted by: Bron on July 5, 2005 04:19 PMWow. Just . . . wow.
And I'm feeling sorry for people sorting through lots of wool and stuff in ARIZONA in JULY. Gee, hope they have some wine to drink to help them through.
Posted by: Patti on July 5, 2005 05:23 PMWhat Mary B. said!! Ryan, you are an inspiration and a logistical wizzard! Thank YOU for leading us, nudging us, and *including* us. It's a joy to be part of your community. Big love and celebratory hugs all 'round.........
Those are some fine numbers. Congrats, woman.
But thanks to MaryB I am now cursed with compulsively attempting to say "a monk among monks" five times fast...
Just try it.
Posted by: Kit on July 5, 2005 11:22 PMWhat a nice way to start the day! At the risk of sounding terribly corny, I hope this good energy keeps going around the world again and again and again. :)
Posted by: Thora on July 6, 2005 06:46 AMToo choked up to be eloquent but what they all said -
What are our goal numbers for next year?
This circle gonna stay unbroken --
Posted by: Childe on July 6, 2005 10:34 AMI sent off my little package of three hats to FIRE just under the deadline. There's a photo of the three of them reclining in the California sun on my blog. These little hats have no idea what they're in for, temperature-wise. Thanks for putting together the Dulaan thing and cheerleading us along the way-- hope you keep doing it for the next annual shipment as well!
Posted by: Emily on July 6, 2005 10:56 AMWords fail. Many thanks to Ryan and Cuzzin Tom for daring to dream big and follow through.
Posted by: Kristen on July 6, 2005 11:14 AMIt just goes to show, how everyone doing something, even a little something, can make big things happen!
Thanks Ryan!
Thank you, Ryan for the fellowship and warmth this project has started. There are so many kinds of warmth involved.
I, for one, am beginning to understand how addictive this is. Recently a large quantity of wool was shared with me, and now all I can think of is how many items for next year's shipment I can make. I already have two items mostly done.
You and Cuzzin Tom have blessed the rest of us with a great idea and a fabulous follow-through. Thank you so very much.
June on Camano
i have a what may be a silly question...forgive me if it's presumptuous (or just rhetorical)
i found out about the project far too late in the game for me to contribute this year, seeing as i'm a slow knitter with too many projects going at a time...
the ultimate question is: are you/we doing this again for next year?
Posted by: laurie on July 6, 2005 01:02 PMsue happened to be visiting in my cube when we read this together. we cheered!! and scared the neighbors.
so glad we could be a part of this, and so glad to be a part of your little blogger-hood ryan. thanks so much for all your inspiration (you, tmk, cuzzin ton, fire, etc)
Posted by: anj on July 6, 2005 04:43 PMHoley Moley! (Holy Marmot??) Wheeeeee!!!
Posted by: CarolineF on July 6, 2005 05:21 PMEven though it's technically not allowed for me, I'm doing the funkiest, most signifyin' touchdown dance anyone's ever seen right here in the middle of a Mongolian internet cafe! I believe! I believe!
I'm gonna give Ryan AT LEAST the rest of this week off before we talk about next year...love you, Cuz!
Now click on my name and see my new tattoo!
Posted by: Cuzzin Tom on July 6, 2005 05:54 PMHoly CRAP! That makes my last minute run (on the 30th!) to the PO worthwhile.... Congrats, lady. You're amazing.
Posted by: Rachael on July 7, 2005 01:13 AMfor mysterious K.
http://flickr.com/photos/karent/sets/537260/
for you-many thanks you inspire so many
That face is so darling. How wonderful that so many have come to her and the others in need! Good job, Ryan!!
Posted by: margene on July 7, 2005 12:48 PM4517!!! We knitters ROCK! God willing, next year we'll raise the bar even higher!...*right now I'm busy doing the Church Lady Superior Dance!*...;p:D What good news!
Posted by: Lana on July 13, 2005 10:40 AM