Kits for Conference

Conference Kits Reminder

 

* ALL KITS dropped off at the Receiving Station should be properly boxed and sealed.

 

* Contents of each box and the name of the contributing church should be clearly posted on the outside.

 

* Please present payment for Transportation and Processing ($1 per kit) and toothpaste ($1 per Health Kit) upon delivery. These payments may be made in one check or two separate checks. ALL CHECKS SHOULD BE PAYABLE TO: VA CONFERENCE UMC.

 

* There will be someone at the collection site to accept checks.

 

* Do NOT place money for toothpaste inside Health Kits!

 

(Checks should be made out to the VA Conference UMC and distribution of funds clearly earmarked.)

 

Due to the rising cost of fuel for transporting kits to UMCOR in Sager Brown, LA it is imperative that each participating church share responsibility for shipping ($1.00 for each kit.)

 

Local churches are encouraged to gather items for kits and send them to annual conference. PLEASE NOTE: A recent appeal was made by Church World Service regarding a kit collection by that agency. While the conference appreciates the focus of Church World Service on human needs, the 2008 Virginia Conference kit collection is being conducted to replenish the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) supply. The inventory has been greatly diminished as UMCOR responded to the numerous disasters experienced in the United States and in other countries around the world. The Sager Brown Depot reports there is a need for ALL types of kits (except flood buckets). Local churches are encouraged to collect any of the following UMCOR kits and bring them to annual conference for delivery:

Sewing Kit Items
Value: $18 per kit

• 3 yards of cotton or cotton-blend, solid color or print fabric (must be 3 yards of uncut fabric)
• 1 pair sewing scissors
• 1 package of needles
• 1 spool of thread
• 5-8 matching buttons

Wrap sewing notions in the fabric and place in a sealed one-gallon plastic bag.

Layette Kit Items
Value $35 per kit

• 6 cloth diapers
• 2 shirts or 2 one-piece body suits
• 2 baby washcloths
• 2 gowns or sleepers
• 2 diaper pins
• 1 sweater open in the front
• 2 receiving blankets

Bundle the items inside one of the receiving blankets and secure with the diaper pins.

School Kit Items
Value: $11 per kit  (Please note change to this kit's contents.)

• 1 pair blunt scissors (rounded tip)
• 3 pads (or loose leaf) of 8 1/2" x 11" ruled paper (construction paper no longer included) 
• 1 30-centimeter ruler
• 1 hand held pencil sharpener
• 6 unsharpened pencils with erasers
• 1 eraser, 2 1/2"
• 1 box of 24 crayons (only 24)

Prepare a 14" x 16" (finished size) cloth bag with handles and an optional closure (Velcro®, snap or button) and place items in the bag.  Patterns are available from UMCOR Sager Brown.

Health Kit Items
Value: $12 per kit. (Please note change to this kit's contents.)

• 1 hand towel (15"x25" up to 17"x27", No kitchen towels)
• 1 washcloth
• 1 comb (large and sturdy, not pocket-sized)
• 1 nail file or fingernail clippers (no emery boards or toenail clippers)
• 1 bath-size bar of soap (3 oz. and up)
• 1 toothbrush (single brushes only in original wrapper, No child-size brushes)
• 6 adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages
• $1.00 to purchase toothpaste

(Note: UMCOR Sager Brown is now purchasing toothpaste in bulk to be added to health kits before shipping to ensure that the produce does not expire before they are sent.)

Important Kit Assembly Information

• All items included in kits must be NEW items.
• All emergency kits are carefully planned to make them usable in the greatest number of situations. Since strict rules often govern product entry into international countries, it is important that kits contain only the requested items -- nothing more.
• Do NOT include any personal notes, money or additional materials in the kits. These things must be painstakingly removed and will delay the shipment.

Packing Instructions: Kits should be packed in boxes with only one type of kit in each box, with the contents clearly written on the outside of the box. Shipping and processing costs for the kits is $1 per kit. Checks should be payable to "Virginia Conference UMC," earmarked for "Kits" and brought to the collection site at annual conference. Do not place checks inside the boxes.

All items included in kits must be NEW items. All emergency kits are carefully planned to make them usable in the greatest number of situations. Since strict rules often govern product entry into international countries, it is important that kits contain only the requested items — nothing more.

Do NOT include any personal notes, money or additional materials in the kits. These things must be painstakingly removed and will delay the shipment. Kits may be brought to the Roanoke Civic Center and dropped off at the trailer at the entrance of the main parking lot from Williamson Road. Receiving station hours are: Sunday, 3-7:30 p.m.; Monday, 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.; Tuesday, 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Questions should be addressed to Kits for Conference coordinator, the Rev. Tom Lee, Roanoke District, at (540) 774-4730 or by e-mail at tglsr@verizon.net. You may also contact the conference Mission Office at 1-800-768-6040, ext. 144 or (804) 521-1144 and by e-mail at Mission@vaumc.org.