Carrie Hedstrom’s
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    My name is Carrie Hedstrom.  I am 32, a stay-at-home mom.  I live in Camden with my husband, Tom, and my children, Connor, 9; Brady, 8; Cam, 6; Theodore, 4; and Pearl, 1.  I am also an art quilter and have my work displayed locally.  In my “spare time,” I like to come up with creative projects.  My most recent project this year is making shirts.  It started out as shirts for my execrcise classes (they say things like “strong is beautiful”)  I use several techniques including bleaching, dyeing, painting, stencil and applique. 

           

    I was so struck by the disaster in Haiti.  As a mom, I cannot imagine not only the horror of having my home destroyed but the aftermath.  I can think of little else worse than not being able to feed my starving children or the idea that they may be orphaned and left destitute and without hope.  I was moved to design a “Hope for Haiti” shirt.  I originally started out making them for young girls, but the response was so great that I now make shirts for all sizes men, women, boys and girls.. 

 

    I hand craft each shirt individually.  I have a workspace set up in my garage on my husband’s work bench.  As I create each shirt, I try to think of the victims of this disaster and pray for them.  I even get my children involved.  They help me trace and cut out the little, yellow suns on the front. 

 

    My idea and hope with making shirts was, as the media coverage dies down over the next months, maybe this shirt when it is worn, will be a reminder that there are people over there who continue to need our help and our prayers, and hope.  Maybe wearing the shirt will simply remind its wearer to send out a positive thought in their direction.  Many people ask me where I find time to do this.  It feels to me like God has granted me an extra hour a day jut for t-shirts! 

 

     On January 25th, I teamed up with Camden Rockport Middle School and began selling these shirts out of their office.  In the first week we made $450. which was more than enough to sponsor a child in Haiti through World Vision www.worldvision.org.  With the help of the staff, faculty, students and parents we were able to sponsor Williamson who turned 7 just this past Monday (Feb1) for an entire year.  We are now up to $600!  I have put up a display outside the nurses office at CHRHS and hopefully will get the shirts into RES next. 

 

      Shirts are $20. each.  $15. of every sale goes to Williamson and the people of his village.  I have boys and girls sizes S (6-8), M (10-12) and L (12-14); Men S, M, L; Women S, M, L; and Women’s fitted style in Small and Med. Only.  Anyone wishing to purchase a shirt can contact me at HopeforHaitiShirts@live.com.  Please include name, address, Size/Style and quantity of shirts.  I am willing to send shirts by mail with a S&H fee. 

 

Carrie Hedstrom

7 Mount Battie Street

Camden, Maine 04843

(207) 236-2267 (home)

(207) 593-2051 (cell)

carriesquilts@hotmail.com

hopeforhaitishirts@live.com

 

Additional information about this project was kindly shared by Matthew Smith, the Assistant Principal at Camden Rockport Middle School:


Camden Rockport Middle School began a t-shirt fundraising.  A local artist, Carrie Hedstrom, designed a very special "Hope for Haiti" t-shirt that the school is selling through CRMS.  They are priced at $20 with all profits going to World Vision Online-Haiti Disaster Relief (www.worldvision.org).  $15 from each sale goes to this organization to sponsor a child affected by the earthquake in Haiti.  Students, staff and community members have bought these t-shirts and many of the girls at school have been seen wearing their t-shirt proudly around school!


So far the students have raised $450 (net) on shirt sales and they were able to sponsor a child from Haiti for an entire year!  His name is Williamson and he celebrated his 7th Birthday earlier in February. 


Updated March 23, 2010 Email from Matt Smith, Assistant Principal of Camden Rockport Middle School:


Hi Mary,


Please find attached the photo of the CRMS students wearing their Hope for Haiti t-shirts.  You can check with Carrie, but so far I think the sale has raised $1000 - all thanks to Carrie's wonderful efforts in designing and producing the shirts.  Thank you Carrie!


We are very happy to be a part of such a wonderful fundraiser.


Thanks,

Matt