What a guy, what a musician, what a dad, what a humanitarian.  AlThough FAF can not say Happy Birthday to Anthony due to his untimely death,  we would like you to join us as we celebrate his birth on December 28.

Two years ago Past President, Jill Hamilton suggested that the best way for us to celebrate the life of our beloved friend and benefactor, was to start a fund in Anthony's honor.  In the early years, FAF was often asked to immediately contribute to unforeseen dire events.  The Board therefore designated the Salazar Fund for such emergencies.  The money collected is held in reserve for those emergencies that could push AIDS widows and children over the edge.

The last twelve months saw terrable events beginning with the February election disturbances throughout Kenya, a food shortage in the spring, and malaria mosquitoes during October's rainy season.  The Salazar Fund was able to provide food, clothing, and anti-malaria nets for Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya and The Good Samaritan Home.

Mercy Thuo of the Good Samaritan Home declaired,  "Long live FAF!"

Please honor our friend Anthony and make sure that FAF lives long by making your contribution now.  We realize that things are very tight here in the USA, but the need never goes away in Kenya.

To make your contribution, send a check to FAF at this address in Dunedin, FL

433 South Paula Drive #7  Dunedin, FL 34698

Because Fabulous African Fabrics is a 501 (c) (3) organization, your donation is tax deductable.

CELL PHONE COLLECTION IN DUNEDIN

During November and December FAF is collecting used cell phones to raise money for insecticide mosquito nets for the children's beds at The Good Samaritan Home.

Get those phones out of your closets and put to a good use!

You may drop off your gently used cell phone in the collection box in the Friendship Hall of First United Methodist Church on the corner of Douglas and Main Street.  If it is more convenient, call Laura Salazar for pickup. 727-946-5322.

THE CLOTH AND THE MUD #35

FALL, 2008

NEWS FROM FABULOUS AFRICAN FABRICS

a 501(c) (3) organization

727-946-5322 and This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Our mission: to support agencies working with AIDS widows and orphans in Africa, and to educate others about the AIDS crisis in Africa.

FAF has designated October and November as Donation Days for Used Cell Phones. Donate in Michigan during October and Floirda in November. Contact 727-946-5322 to make a donation. Proceeds from this collection will go to buy insecticide impregnated mosquito nets for the Good Samaritan Home.

Don't miss Artists' Attic at the First United Methodist Church, Dunedin, FL on October 18, 2008. FAF will have a booth with many new items. The banners made by the Good Samaritan Home children in cooperation with girls and boys from St Petersburg, FL under Sarah Butz' artistic eye, will be on display.

NEWS FROM AFRICA

Francis, Manager of The Good Samaritan Home, wrote on August 28, We are doing well here in Kenya. All is well with the children. It is encouraging to know that your director [President Christine Coggins] will be coming to Kenya and that she will visit our centre. She is most welcome to spend as much time as she wishes with the children and staff in Good Samaritan Home. On the mosquito netting, I wish to tell you that the nets are very much needed to keep the children out of mosquitoes. Thank you very much and long live FAF.

Once again, Rotary is opening doors for Fabulous African Fabrics. Laura met FAF's friend, Dr. Dennis Hoekstra at Rotary last week. He volunteered to help FAF acquire the mosquito nets for the Good Samaritan Home. Denny was at Rotary to hear Tom Musli talk about Computers for Schools in Kenya.

Tom Musli is a Rotary member of the Nairobi North club and runs the NGO Computers for Schools in Kenya. This group collects out-of-date computers from several countries, including the USA. To date, Computers for Schools has refurbished 20,000 computers and provided computer skills to 750,000 children. The organization provides technical skills for college and university graduates and school administrators. When FAF mentioned acquiring computers for the Good Samaritan Home to Mercy Thuo of the home, she wrote: On computer to schools we have already set a room for the training. I would need to meet Tom to discuss on this now the government is keen on introducing computer to schools. We require some basic furniture including desks as we already have electricity. We are lucky that we have just received a donation of slar and accessories [solar energy] from a friend in US which would be useful in lighting and in powering the computers.

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

FAF member Dian Zahner will again have a FAF booth at Jubilee Internation Market in Spokane, WA in November. Check local listing for the date.

See Artists' Attic notification above. Sally Banwart would like help with selling. Contact her at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it . You and your friends will not be disappointed with the new FAF items, including the silk scarves Laura made this summer.

Shop for on the Etsy website, http://mymagicgarden.etsy.com. This site only features Laura's work, but we hope to soon develop new Etsy sites for Lucy Ramshaw and Gina May's pieces. The sales from all of these sites go to Fabulous African Fabrics.

FAF items are also on sale at the Pampered Goddess in Cedar Springs, MI and the Dunedin Arts Center, Dunedin, FL.

And Merry Christmas shopping to all.

THE CLOTH

Vlisco Veritable Hollandais, a Dutch company which is called the most prestigious Wax Print Company in Africa, donated 175 outdated sample pieces to Fabulous African Fabrics. The seven inch squares are brilliant , beautiful, and startling. What wonders will we create? Suggestions appreciated. Company representative Ronald Dijckmans found FAF on our website, proving again that the web works.

Treasurere Constance Jones and Laura Salazar took a Safari to Chicago, through flood in Indiana and dismantled buildings in the Loop. Finally arriving at Chicago Fabrics, they found Buddy Miller across from the Sears Tower surrounded by thousands of rolls and bolts of cloth. Lucy Ramshaw is sewing items from the purchased pieces as you read this.

ORGANIZATIONAL NEWS

FALL BOARD MEETING WILL BE HELD ON OCTOBER 19, AT

1158 KENSINGTON ST NW, GRAND RAPIDS, MI AT 2:00 P.M.

BRING A SNACK TO HELP US THROUGH THE AGENDA

ALL MEMBERS, OFFICERS AND FRIENDS ARE WELCOME

We will discuss the mosquito net drive and the collection of computers for the

Good Samaritan Home, as well as other items of business.

We have sent no money to Kenya this summer, but have collected $1000 for President Coggins' study trip to Nairobi in 2009, and close to $1000 for the mosquito nets for the Good Samaritan Home.

MANY THANKS

For Financial Help to

Jill Hamilton, Tamara Glenn, Betsy Kenas, Walter Petersen, William and Mary Seeger,

Wendy Wenner

For Summer Sales Help to

Margaret Carlson, Christine Coggins, Roger, Rose and Josh Ellis, Connie Jones, Kiri

Salazar

For in-kind help to

The Good Samaritan Home for 100 plus necklaces

Sue Hallack, Char Marculis, Prayers and Squares and United Methodist Women for work on

Crafty Bargains and to the congregation of Faith United Methodist Church who donated

their hall for the sale.

Everyone who donated items to the Summer Garage Sale and Crafty Bargains.

Vlisco Varitable Hollandais for textiles

Lucy Ramshaw who turns out FAF items at the drop of a hat, critter, blouse or apron.

Many thanks to Merrie Pieri-Clark and Lisa Radek who manage the Fulton Street Artisans Market. They have been very helpful to FAF, making sure that our not-for-profit has a high profile at the market, helping us make many connections with the Grand Rapids art scene. These two amazing women are planning a FAF money raiser in spring of 2009. Keep tuned.

We can't do it without you.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership is always important to us. You are important to the children and widows of Kenya. The support of our members keeps up organizational morale and morale at the Good Samaritan Home and Women Fighting AIDS in Africe. Membership pays for office supplies, event fees, state sales taxes in Florida, printing, web fees, and sweing supplies. Your small check allows us to send 100% of our sales proceeds and personal donations to the Kenyan agencies we support. If you are not already a member, please join FAF today. We need your friends and relatives as FAF members. Pass the word.

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP: INDIVIDUAL $20.00 FAMILY $30.00

Send this form and your check to

Fabulous African Fabrics, 1158 Kensington St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49534.

Questions? Call 727-946-5322

NAME ________________________________ PHONE __________________________

ADDRESS ______________________________________________________________

e-mail ______________________________

PREFERRED METHOD OS RECEIVING NEWSLETTER

Web ________________ e-mail _________________ US Mail ____________________

Fabulous African Fabrics has added two new venues

to its summer lineup.

The Pampered Goddess 37 N. Main St., Cedar Springs, MI

Laura's silk painting and silk dyed scarves and watercolors are featured. Cedar

Springs is  a pleasant 25 mile drive north of Grand Rapids. Formerly known as the Red Flannel

City, Cedar Springs is now a destination for antiques, arts and crafts.

The Brocante on East Fulton August 16 and September 20

The Brocante is a French-style flea market located in the parking lot behind 940 and 946

East Fulton, Grand Rapids, MI. FAF will have its full line of items for sale on these dates.

The Brocante features antiques, collectibles, secondhand goods, one-of-a-kind art pieces,

and handcrafted items.

CONTINUING

Fulton Street Artisan's Market

Sales continue at the Art Market each Sunday 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. through September 21.

FSAM is located on the corner of Fulton and Fuller in Grand Rapids.

We are looking for you at one of these venues.

THE CLOTH AND THE MUD, NUMBER 34

SUMMER, 2008

NEWS FROM FABULOUS AFRICAN FABRICS

A 501c3 organization

616-735-4109 and 727-956-5322

Our Mission: to support agencies working with AIDS widows and orphans in Africa and to educate others about the AIDS crisis in Africa.

IMPORTANT DATES

Sundays 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. Through September--Fulton Street Artisans Market Grand Rapids, MI

July 30 Opening of Pampered Godess, Cedar Springs, MI

Month of August--2008-9 Memberships due

August 22, 23 and 24, FAF Garage Sale

September Crafty Deals sale at Faith UMC. Date to be announced

ON-GOING

Dunedin Fine Arts Center Gift Shop

www.mymagicgarden.etsy.com

CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS

FAF President, Christine Coggins' e-mail is This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Newsletter Editor Laura Salazar's new e-mail is This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

NEWS FROM AFRICA

There are two big items from the Good Samaritan Home to celebrate. One is the arrival of fifty beds purchased through the Rotary grant. Mercy Thuo wrote on July 3, "The children are fine and sleeping comfortably on the new beds and mattresses." She enclosed pictures confirming their arrival which I hope to have on our website soon.

The pictures from the children from the Good Samaritan Home arrived in time for them to be a part of the Internation Convergence Conference (Weavers' Guild) in Tampa Bay. Laura wrote to the children, "Thank you so much for your inspiring and beautiful pictures."

The Surface Design Guild of Tampa Bay was equally impressed, FAF Board member and curator of the show wrote Sarah Butz wrote: "I have received your many wonderful drawings. Everyone that I have shown them to is so impressed. I am going to hurry and put them together into a banner for the show on Monday night. We have invited the public to come to the big library in Clearwater for a small party to see all of the banners created by children. Thank you for sending your drawings." These images will find there way onto the web soon.

Along with the pictures came photos of the children, and women making baskets, and 80 necklaces for FAF to sell to help support The Good Samaritan Home.

Ms. Thuo noted in the July letter that there is a food shortage in Kenya at this time which is affecting the home. FAF will address this need soon.

THE CLOTH

Laura is making hand painted silk scarves and paintings for FAF. Laura plans to dye 12 scarves this summer--some with African Designs. These will be found at the Fulton Street Artisan's Market and at Pampered Goddess. Sales of watercolors has been good. Laura and Lucy Ramshaw are planning a trip to Chicago this summer to pick out new textiles for fall items. Watch for new cloth and new ideas.

BOARD NEWS

Congratulations and welcome to new Board Member, Nancy Abbott. Nancy lives in Dunedin, FL and has been a devoted volunteer for a year. Along with her husband Andy, Nancy is spending the summer getting her home in Connecticut ready for sale so Andy and Nancy will be full time Floridians.

Reelected unanimously were Pat Callan as Vice-President and Betsy Knox as Secretary.

FUND RAISERS

"FAF Garage Sale North" features all the stuff we need to get out of our garages and closets and into the hands of loving owners. And vice-versa. The sale will be at the home of Roger and Rose Ellis at 238 Morris St. Grand Rapids, 49503 on August 22-24. Drop off day is August 21. Start saving those trashy treasures for the sale now, and collect your pennies and dollars to buy good goods.

"Crafty Deals" features yarn, fabric, paints, frames, all of those over-stocked craft items packing the basement and attics of our homes. This will be a great place for you to get rid of old hobbies and find some new ones. The sale will be held at Faith United Methodist Church in September. Date to be announced.

MEMBERSHIP

It's time to re-up your membership for FAF. The popular media has dropped AIDS orphans to report Hollywood gossip, but we know that you have not forgotten needy ones still struggling to make and keep a meaningful life. Membership dollars pay office expenses, public relations and postage so we can dedicate donations and sales directly to widows and children affected by AIDS. To find out more about how FAF handles its finances, go to our website, www.fabulousafricanfabrics.org. Those of you who already have paid your 08-09 dues will received a card from FAF that your dues are paid.

THANKS FOR THE DONATIONS

FAF raised $80.00 from its Schuler Books and Music Days.

The Surface Design Guild of Tampa Bay donated $50.00 in special appreciation for the beautiful pictures drawn by the children of The Good Samaritan Home.

JOIN OR RENEW MEMBERSHIP

Membership dues are $20.00 per person and $30.00 per family. Please fill the form below and return with your payment to

Fabulous African Fabrics, 1158 Kensington St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49534

Name(s) _________________________________________

Address _________________________________________

Phone _______________________ e-mail ______________

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