Shut-In Care Packages

I received this message from Carole Anderson:

The Faires/Anderson life group has a new project.  We are creating/assembling gift bags for members who are sick or hospitalized and shut-in's.  We are decorating bags, filling them with simple items and attaching a card to each so a message from the congregation can be included by the person delivering the bag.

We are hoping others will help with this project in the decorating, stuffing, and donating items to go in the bags.

The bags will be available in the church office and must be signed out through Kim or Laura.  (We are doing it this way so one person that might be in the hospital won't receive all the gift bags in case there are multiple visitors to them during their hospital stay.  If several people went to see the same person and they all got a gift bag, we would run out quickly.)  This will also help us keep count on the inventory of bags.

I am placing a laundry basket on the table by the ladies bulletin board for any donations that anyone want to donate to the gift bag creation.

We need  things like:

• Bottled Water
• The little packets of water flavoring that is pre-measured (usually about 10 tubes in a box).  (Regular and sugar free type.)
• Small snack size packages of crackers, cookies, chips, etc.
• Rolls of lifesavers, mints, gum, etc.  (Regular and sugar free type.)
• Bite size candy bars
• Ballpoint pens, inexpensive mechanical pencils
• Small note pads
• Small reading material, books, magazines, "soup for the soul", small puzzle books
• "Hotel" size bottles of body lotion
• Encouragement cards
• Small handmade items to brighten someones day.
• Pretty ribbons, bows, flowers, etc. to decorate bags.
• Small plain gift bags, or one that is brightly decorated without birthday, holiday writing on it.
• Or even donations to buy any of the above (give to Doug or Lewis)
• Anything in small sizes that can fit in a small gift bag and be used by someone not able to get to the store.