Free Shows at Ware Center for Sweet Pea Project Families!

Because we've been through a lot as a family, and we all deserve a little fun and laughter.  A little special treatment.

The Ware Center in downtown Lancaster is opening its doors to us this weekend.  For free.  All you have to do is email Stephanie@sweetpeaproject.org no later than Feb 21 and let me know how many people will be attending with you.  Here are the details, as emailed to me by the Winter &Ware Centers' lovely family arts collaborator, Barry Kornhauser.

We have TWO great shows coming up this weekend at the Ware Center, both totally appropriate for children and adults - and we are happy to offer Sweet Pea Project community families FREE tickets to each!!!

Both of these shows are being performed by Dan Kamin.  He's the guy who taught Robert Downey Jr. and Johnny Depp their physical comedy chops (for the movies CHAPLIN and BENNY & JOON).  More recently he trained the actor starring in the Broadway show CHAPLIN.   That's probably why Robert Downey Jr. called Dan America's "foremost authority" on Charlie Chaplin.  He's also a wonderfully funny performer himself as you will see if you come to these shows.

On Friday evening, Feb. 22, at 7:30, Dan is presenting FUNNY BONES: THE COMEDY OF CHARLIE CHAPLIN.  This show includes live silent comedy routines, audience participation, and a silent film clip of a Charlie Chaplin with live musical accompaniment.  Lots of laughs and even a little bit of learning.

On Saturday morning, Feb. 23 at 11:00, Dan is presenting COMEDY IN MOTION, a completely delightful show that's been called "a breathtaking display of theatricality that's sharp, funny, and highly inventive."  One hour before the show, we'll have free fun activities in the lobby for all kids, and right after the show, he'll offer a comedy workshop for kids.   We'll also provide a home activity guide, a free snack, and a toy surprise to every kids that comes.

And, again, for you, this is all FREE!!!   All you have to do is show up.  Just email first to let me know how many of you might be coming.  That way we can be better prepared.  Hope you'll take advantage of this offer.  It's good wholesome fun for all ages - from 5 to 95.   Please join us.

Some Sweet Pea News

Sweet Pea Project is having a busy little winter this year, so I thought I'd quickly share with you some of the things we have going on.

As you may have heard, Sweet Pea Project's founder- Stephanie Paige Cole- was nominated for the Unity Award, which is given to a "Mom making a difference" by the organization MASK once a year.  She has made it to the top 15, which means she will be featured in the spring issue of MASK Magazine, and she will be honored at a luncheon in Scottsdale, Arizona on March 21.  Voting is now open to determine who the winner is, and with our strong community we have a real shot at this!  If you are able to, we would be so grateful if you would vote once a day from now until March 1, and share the link with your friends.  It is super fast and easy.  http://www.maskmatters.org/stephanie-cole

Sweet Pea Project's next free community event is also right around the corner.  Coffee & Conversation with Catherine A. G. Bayly will be held on Friday, March 8 at Mulberry Art Studios in Lancaster, PA.  It is going to be such a peaceful, yet powerful evening. Candle light and coffee and desserts, the company of other parents who understand our wounded hearts, an opportunity to hear the talented poet and professor Catherine A. G. Bayly speak and a chance to sit down and, with her gentle guidance, explore our grief and put the unspeakable down in words.  All spaces filled up rather quickly, and so we decided to open up 5 more seats.  If you would like to join us, and we really hope you do, please reserve your seat today.  Registration will close at the end of the day on February 15th, as long as spaces remain.  More information, and the link to registration, can be found at www.sweetpeaproject.org/coffee.

Then on Saturday, March 9, Beth Gauthier and Stephanie Cole will be heading to the Ware Center at Millersville University's 42 North Prince Street, Lancaster, location to represent Sweet Pea Project and bereaved mothers everywhere at the International Women's Day Celebration Event.  The event is free and offers a morning filled with inspiring & engaging speakers who will share about the work they are doing here in Lancaster and around the world to positively impact the lives of women. There will be speakers, breakout sessions with Q&A time, and a room filled with organizations working on behalf of women worldwide where you can purchase fair trade items such as jewelry, clothing, purses and more!  Sweet Pea Project will be handing out information as we work to educate the public about this important women's issue, and we'll be collecting donations of blankets and monetary contributions.  Please stop by and say hi!  Check out the event's facebook page for more details, https://www.facebook.com/events/557590290937107/?fref=ts

And last but not least, our Winter Book Drive has been incredibly successful so far and we're not done yet!  We have had the opportunity to honor so many children through this drive, and we will be touching the lives of so many as we distribute these books.  676 books have donated to date, and we still have 2 weeks left to collect donations for the book drive.  If you would like to participate please visit www.sweetpeaproject.org/winterbookdrive to learn more.  Thank you to everyone who has contributed so far, it is an honor and a privilege to be a small part of your child's remembrance.

Sweet Pea Project Presents Coffee & Conversation with Catherine Bayly

Sweet Pea Project Presents Coffee & Conversation with Catherine Bayly

Sweet Pea Project invites bereaved parents of our community to join them in the Loft Ballroom at downtown Lancaster's Mulberry Art Studios on Friday, March 8th, 2013 from 6:30pm until 8pm for an evening with poet and professor, Catherine Bayly.   Catherine, a bereaved mother herself, will speak about her experience and her writing.  Guests will have the opportunity to participate in a writing workshop, or they may choose to simply enjoy coffee and dessert. 

This event is free to all bereaved individuals in our community. As always, donations are greatly appreciated so that we may continue to offer serve our community's grieving families. Seating is limited and registration is required.  Reserve your spot online at www.sweetpeaproject.org/coffee.  Registration will remain open until Feb 15, as long as space is available.  

Catherine Bayly studied English Literature and Creative Writing at University of Maryland, College Park.  She is currently an adjunct professor at that same university.  In addition to teaching English, Catherine is a journal editor and runs occasional bereavement writing workshops at Howard County General Hospital in Columbia, MD.

Catherine began writing poetry in earnest after her daughter's death in 2005.  Since losing Sophie, Catherine has had two healthy daughters and completed graduate school.  Grieving, raising children, and theorizing on literature simultaneously was most fascinating in its blend of the very real and the very abstract. So, although much brilliant, if distant, theorizing is done in academia, Catherine's greatest scholarly interest lies in the intersection of literature and deep feeling--and she refuses to see the two as ever disconnected.

Catherine's work can be found in Exhale magazine, as well as moonlighting on Youtube and The Lifespan of Butterflies.  Her poems are currently under review at The Little Patuxent Review, and she is working on a collection of poems which traces the connected, relentless processes of grief and craft.

Unity Award

We are all excited over here at Sweet Pea Project, because we just received the news that our own Stephanie Cole has been nominated for the Unity Award for Moms Making a Difference.  This award is given by the nonprofit organization MASK, a group of dedicated mothers who recognize the need to consistently educated families on rapidly changing issues.  The winner of the Unity Award will receive a large spread in MASK the Magazine.  It is a wonderful opportunity for Sweet Pea Project, for bereaved parents all across the country, to have their voices heard.  We'd be bringing the topic of infant death, a topic that is still so very taboo in many parenting circles and publications, into the spotlight.  Please help us by voting for Stephanie and sharing this with you friends.  You can vote once a day, every day, from now until Feb 1, 2013.  Thank you for your support!

Here is the link:
http://www.maskmatters.org/stephanie-cole

Announcing Sweet Pea Project's Winter Book Drive

Winter tends to feel a little bit colder and a little bit darker over here at Sweet Pea Project.  It is a heavy season for our board of directors.  Nicole's son died in December.  Stephanie's daughter died in January.  Beth's son died in February.  The urge to shut down and hibernate like a big furry bear can be pretty strong this time of year.  This winter we have decided to do something special to honor our children during the months that hold both their births and their deaths.  And we'd like to invite you to join us and allow us the privilege of honoring your children along with ours, through Sweet Pea Project's Winter Book Drive.

Sweet Pea Project’s Winter Book Drive begins on December 1, 2012 and ends on February 28, 2013.  During this time, we will be accepting donations in increments of $5 to go toward our book donation program.  For every $5 you contribute, one book will be donated in your child’s name to a newly bereaved parent.  A special bookplate will be placed in the front cover of the book dedicating it in your child’s honor.  Pictures of these bookplates can be found at www.sweetpeaproject.org/winterbookdrive.  Please feel free to share this website and the flier (pictured above) with your friends and family.  There are many people in our lives, I think, who would love to help but simply don't know what to do or say.  This is a great way to involve them in your child’s remembrance. 

To participate, simply send your donation to Sweet Pea Project by check, credit card or PayPal.  Be sure to note that your donation is for the Winter Book Drive and be certain to include your child’s name just as you’d like it to appear on the bookplate.  As always, your donation to Sweet Pea Project is tax deductible.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Stephanie@sweetpeaproject.org.

Holding all of you and your children close to our hearts throughout this holiday season and wishing you peace,

Stephanie Cole & the Sweet Pea Project team

Discovery Toys "Party" to Benefit Sweet Pea Project

Make the money you spend on Christmas shopping go further this year. When you do your holiday shopping at Discovery Toys through this event from now until December 1^st, 20% of your purchase will go directly to Sweet Pea Project.

Click on the following link to place your order: http://www.discoverytoys.com/publicstore/event/8748/default.aspx

Please call Crystal Meashey at 717-314-9629 or email crystalelaine10@hotmail.com if you would like her to place your order instead of ordering online.

Click on the flier to enlarge.  Please feel free to share our flier and this event with all your friends and family.  Thank you so very much for your support.

Remembrance Day, Gifts that Give Hope & Fueling Good!

I hope your October was wonderful, and you found peaceful ways to honor your child during National Remembrance Month.  We celebrated with our 3rd Annual Remembrance Gathering, along with several hundred of you, and it was a sweet and sacred evening.  The rain subsided, the clouds moved aside to allow a beautiful pink sunset to shine on us as we read each baby's name aloud and release balloon after balloon into the sky.  A video from the evening can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOZkFbqgjvg if you would like to take a glimpse of the event.  All the images from our talented photographer, Valerie Smith of Grace Photos, have been uploaded to our shutterfly album (www.sweetpeaproject.shutterfly.com) so guests can feel free to browse through the album.  Thank you to everyone who helped make our 3rd annual gathering so very beautiful and we hope to see you again next October.

The holidays are now approaching, and that is something that weighs heavy on my heart as a bereaved mother.  The shopping for frivolous gifts is just not something I find enjoyable anymore.  That is why I am so proud to have been asked once again to team up with Gifts That Give Hope for Lancaster's Alternative Gift Fair.  Sweet Pea Project is offering "gifts" at three different price levels, and will be donating books, blankets and offering comfort and support to bereaved families around the world with each dollar spent at this special holiday fair.  If you live nearby, please stop in and join us on Saturday, November 17th from 10am until 4pm.  If you live out of the area or are unable to join us, you can still participate and give the gift of comfort to a bereaved family buy shopping online at http://www.giftsthatgivehope.org/lancaster/index.php?pg=shop.  Please feel free to contact me with any questions at all.

And lastly, a quick favor: Sweet Pea Project has been selected as one of Citgo's Fueling Good Charities, and we are in the running to win $5000.  If you have a spare moment would be please consider voting for Sweet Pea Project?  Voting is simple, they just need your email address and you can opt out of sharing that info with citgo.  You can vote once a day, every day, from now until November 28.  The link is http://fuelinggood.com/rewardinggood?id=1323911

Thank you so much for your support, and for helping us as we continue to strive to create a more compassionate community.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Cole

Sweet Pea Project's 3rd Annual Remembrance Gathering

As we have do each year, Sweet Pea Project will be holding a Remembrance Gathering on October 15, which is National Remembrance Day for babies who die during pregnancy or infancy, at Long's Park in Lancaster, PA.  This gathering offers families a chance to come together and remember their children as a community and to celebrate their short but precious lives.  We would be honored to have you join us as we gather together to listen to the beautiful music of our children's name spoken out loud in a field filled with love and green balloons.  For more information please visit www.sweetpeaproject.org/remember. 

Sweet Pea Project's 3rd Annual Remembrance Gathering is a free event that is open to the community, but registration is requested. This year we will be offering T shirts commemorating the event.  Two complimentary shirts will be given to each family as a gift from Sweet Pea Project in honor of your beloved baby.  The shirts will include a list of the names of the children we are remembering on the back.  If you would like to receive your complimentary shirts and have your child's name appear on the shirts, please include the following information in your registration email and send it to Nicole@sweetpeaproject.org no later than October 1st. 

1. The name of the child(ren) you are remembering (exactly as you would like it read during the balloon release)

2. The number of balloons your family will need  (*Please note: Each guest may receive one balloon per child remembered. For example, if your family of 4 is remembering twins you may request 8 balloons

3. Your child(ren)'s name exactly as you would like it written on the shirt
 
4. Your shirt sizes (available in Youth Small through Adult 3X)

Additional shirts can be ordered for a donation of $5 to Sweet Pea Project.  Orders must be received by October 1st.  To order additional shirts please email your sizes to Nicole and send the donation via paypal to Stephanie@sweetpeaproject or by check to
Sweet Pea Project
Attn: Shirt Order
PO Box 10351
Lancaster, PA 17605-0351

Registration for the Remembrance Gathering will remain open until October 14, but complimentary shirts and inclusion of your child's name on the shirts will not be available after October 1st.  Please visit www.sweetpeaproject.org/register for more details.

Hosting a Sweet Pea Project affiliated Remembrance Gathering

Each year on October 15, Sweet Pea Project holds our Annual Remembrance Gathering.  The evening begins with families writing notes on small squares of handmade paper that has wildflower seeds embedded in it.  The notes are then tucked inside sap-based biodegradable balloons.  When they burst, the notes will be reclaimed by the earth and wildflowers will sprout out of our love letters to our children.  Quiet music is played (this year we have a guitarist, last year we had bass and mandolin) as each name is read aloud, and balloons are released one by one.  It is breathtakingly beautiful to watch the balloons join one another in the sky, though it always tugs on my heart to see so many up there.

It is always a meaningful evening, and what is extra touching is the fact that several other remembrance gatherings occur along with ours, all across the country (and even internationally!)   We really hope that happens again this year.  Summer is flying by and autumn will be here before you know it, which means it is already time to start thinking about this year's event. 

Because Sweet Pea Project is a federally recognized 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, we are officially on the radar and can be held liable for things associated with our name and so we need to handle the details of our affiliated events carefully.  As we did last year, we are asking all remembrance gatherings that wish to affiliate themselves with us (and we really hope you do!) to order their supplies directly through us.  This will allow us to be certain that all supplies used meet our eco-friendly standards, and it will also be more cost effective for you since we will be able to save money by ordering in bulk.  For $35 (for US events, slightly more for international events due to shipping costs) you will receive biodegradable balloons, raffia and seed paper for 100 guests.  You are welcome to order as much as you need, we just ask that all requests be made no later than September 1st because our paper supplier is in Canada and we want to make sure everything arrives in time.
 
Sweet Pea Project will help promote your event by mentioning it in our own press release, announcing it on our facebook page and adding it to our event page www.sweetpeaproject.org/remember.  If you create a facebook event page we will add links to that from our website as well.  I will also be happy to design a postcard/flier for your event if you would like, though you are free to create your own if you would prefer.  Please use wording such as "Lancaster's Remembrance Gathering in affiliation with Sweet Pea Project" or something to that effect.

You will want to consider finding an approved venue for the gathering and check your local laws for balloon releases, even though ours is eco-friendly some locations may still not allow it.  The date for your gathering must be Monday, October 15, 2012.  Part of what makes this such a beautiful event is knowing that even though we are in different parts of the world, we are all standing together remembering these children, and so it is important that we are all doing it on October 15, National Remembrance Day. 

You will also be responsible for the helium.  We were able to find a local grocery store that was willing to donate their tank to us last year, ask around and explain what you need it for and you might be able to get a donation or a good deal. 

I am really looking forward to this year's event.  It is so wonderful to know that there are others all across the country stopping and looking up to the sky, remembering our children in unison that evening.  I really hope you will be a part of this again this year.  If you have any questions at all please do not hesitate to contact Stephanie@sweetpeaproject.org.

UTPAIL Auction

United Through Pregnancy and Infant Loss will be hosting an online fundraising auction during August. The auction will kick off at 9:00am EST on Wednesday, August 15th and end at 9:00pm EST on Wednesday, August 22nd. All proceeds will be split between UTPAIL & Sweet Pea Project. UTPAIL will be using their portion of funds towards their love-packages sent to bereaved families. Sweet Pea Project will be using their portion of funds to further the reach of their blanket and book donation programs. We would be delighted if you can find some time to visit www.facebook.com/utpail during the dates above to bid on various one of a kind items from unique vendors across the world! Not only will you be picking up some great deals, but you also have the opportunity to make a difference in a family's journey through grief. For more detailed information, please visit this link: http://utpail.webs.com/apps/donations/campaigns/67577.