The women in our club are always reaching out, doing service and using their talents to truly make a difference in the world around us. Recently, our ladies were busy crocheting and knitting baby quilts for the Virtua Hospital. Karen D., Joann Kf., Margie M., and Denise P. made a total of eight beautifully colored blankets (of which Karen made four of them!), spending 170 hours of service and $85 of in-kind donations.
The Virtua Rainbow Baby Program started in 2017 with a support group for women who were pregnant again after a pregnancy or infant loss, to help with their fears and anxiety of pregnancy. The inception of the program started to form when one of the moms asked if the hospital was going to âmarkâ her door like we did when she lost her âangel babyâ and now is having her ârainbow baby.â A card was used with a purple leaf to mark the door when someone has a loss to let staff know of this loss so as to ensure compassionate treatment. Blossoming from this first step, a rainbow magnet was created for the door to let people know about the new baby after the loss. After that, someone suggested blankets in bright rainbow colors.
Now, when a rainbow baby is born, this program gives the family a kit containing a magnet, blanket, a rainbow ink pad for footprints, and a childrenâs book explaining a Rainbow Baby, A Rainbow Baby Story: The Rainbow After the Storm by Crystal A. Falk and Kim Roman. A Rainbow Baby represents the rainbow that comes after a storm. It doesnât negate that the storm has happened, or left damage, but there is light and color afterwards.
If anyone would like to continue to support this program, Denise P. or Nancy B. will continue to collect the blankets and deliver them. They only ask that the blankets be the colors of the rainbow (in bright colors), size of approximately 30â X 30â or 36â X 36â. You may use any pattern you wish.
Thank you to Nancy B. for bringing this amazing and worthwhile program to our attention. Thanks to our ladies for being part of the rainbow after the storm!