One Year Anniversary!

Today is the first anniversary of The T21 Traveling Afghan Project!  To celebrate, I'd like to share some facts and information!

In the past year, the traveling afghan has visited:

Nine states and twenty-seven families:
Alaska- Buddy Walk
California - Sheridan, John Michael, Joaquin, Gabby, Joey
Iowa - Mayson, Hope, Nichole, Ashlie
Kansas - LC
New Hampshire - Emily
North Carolina - Marissa
Ohio - Delphine, Leightyn, Dorothy, DJ, Violette, Joylynn and Melvin
South Carolina - Patrick, Eian, Koby, Lilly, Wil
Virginia - Landon
Wisconsin - Emmalee

It has attended a number of Buddy Walks and The Buddy Cruise (where it was photographed with Emily Perl Kingsley!) It has been in the local newspaper.

We currently have the following number of families waiting in fourteen countries:
United States - 312
Asia - 1
Australia - 7
Belgium- 1
Canada - 13
India - 1
Mexico- 2
New Zealand -2
South America -1
United Kingdom- 11
Germany - 12
Puerto Rico - 1
Sweden - 3
Switzerland-1
The Netherlands- 1

That's a total of 369 families awaiting the arrival of the afghan.  If we can stick to one week per family, the afghan will be traveling another 7 years.

Our participants range in age from newborn through the age of 42.

I've been asked what goals I would like to see reached for 2010.

First and foremost, I would like to see the afghan hit twice as many families as it did in the first year.  There was a great deal of additional travel time during 2009 in order to hit a number of events all over the country.  I'd like to see us hit twice as many families this year.

I'd like to get more families signed up in the states and countries where we only have a few participants.

I'd like to get some more "star power" involved  What stars are touched by Down syndrome?
Sarah Palin (son-Trig)
John C. McGinley (son-Max)
Chris Burke (self advocate)
Sujeet Desai (self advocate)
Pete Sessions (Congresman from Texas, son).
Gene Stallings (former Alabama footbal coach, son)
Roy Rogers and Dale Evans (daughter, passed away at two years old)
Albert Pujols (baseball player, step-daughter)
George Will (writer, son)
Eva Longoria (actress, sister)
Julie Newmar (acress, son)
Jamie Foxx (actor, sister)

Personally, I wouldn't mind being on Ellen.  My friend Ben, who is 18 years old and has Down syndrome, has a dream of dancing with Ellen on stage.  I would like to meet Ben, on Ellen, and hand him the Traveling Afghan.

As for the Afghan Of Their Own project, here are some stats on that!

I was asked how long it takes to make one of the afghans and how much yarn it takes.  I have whipped up an entire afghan in less than twenty-four hours more than once.  Typically I complete one afghan every three days.  In a week's time, I usually have two to three complete.

Each afghan takes six to seven skeins of yarn, which is approximately thirty-five to forty ounces.

The Brown Sheep Company in Nebraska recently donated enough yarn to complete four or five afghans.  Their yarn is amazing (85% wool and 15% mohair). 

The most requested colors?  Pink and purple. 

In the last year, there have been 57 afghans made for individuals with Down syndrome (and three afghans made for friends or family members of an individual with Down syndrome), residing in the following locations:

Alabama: Kaden

California: Nicholas, Joaquin, John Michael, Gabby, Sheridan, Nicholas, Joey and Zoey

Colorado: Jayna

Connecticut: Sophia

Georgia: Pierce: Rest in Peace, Sweet Boy

Idaho: MaKenna and Megan

Illinois: Benjamin , Avah and Gabby

Indiana: Delphine and Isaac

Iowa: Mayson, Faith, Jake and Josie

Kansas: LC and Alayna

Michigan: Ashlynn, Logan, Amber and Konner

Missouri: Matthew

Montana: Avery

Nebraska: Elliot

New York: Gabriella, Coco Rose and Tyler

North Carolina: Marissa

Ohio: Brooklyn and Leightyn

Pennsylvania: Amelia

Texas: Sydney and Baby Girl C

Utah: Rhett , Jaxson and Lily

Washington: Ella Grace

Wisconsin: Matthew

Australia: Hannah and Amarli

England: Gemma

Germany: Benjamin and Mia

And Julie, who I don't have an address for, as of yet!

The state with the most afghans? California. They have NINE afghans of their own!

There are twelve afghans in the queue for 2010.

As a goal, I'd like to see each state become home to an afghan of their own.

I am also making a personal goal to get the completed afghans in the mail on a weekly basis.  I am horrible at getting to the post office!

I am often asked what inspired me to begin this project.  I wish I could give some big, profound reason, but it simply came down to an idea.  A simple idea to send one handmade afghan from one online blogger friend to another in our Down syndrome community.  From the moment I began considering adopting a child with Down syndrome, this online community has been amazing.  I will never forget Gina sending me the first "bible" on raising a child with Ds.  I devoured it cover to cover.

I have met some amazing people.  I have made significant friendships.  I have found our second family.  This afghan is just a link in it all.

I am very excited to see what the second year of the T21 Traveling Afghan Project has to hold!!

Here are some other posts on the One Year Anniversary of our project!  Check them out!
An Afghan Of Her Own (Sophia)
The Afghan Arrives (Amelia)
Just 2 of a Kind (Riley)
Happy Anniversary (Bibliomama)

One Year Anniversary!