It was just a little over a year ago when I received a phone call from a lady named Joan Mountford from Canton, MI.  She said she had seen a recent article in the local paper about our school in Uganda.  She was very interested  in what we were doing there and preceded to ask me if I knew anything about the organization called "Little Dresses for Africa".  Since I had not, she began to tell me all about it, how people are making little dresses out of pillowcases and then the dresses are sent to various places in Africa and other Third World countries.  She explained that the organization began here in Michigan and that she herself had been sewing the Little Dresses for Africa.  She asked if I thought I could use any dresses for the girls at John Paul Secondary School and of course I immediately said, "Yes"!  Ever since that day, Joan has been sewing Little Dresses for Africa and giving them to us to take to Uganda for our students.

Joan is a very "Special  Lady"!  She loves to sew  and she is very creative!

She puts lots of time and energy into each Little Dress she makes but even more importantly, she puts a lot of love into each and every one!  She makes every dress unique and wants to be sure that each girl feels very special when she receives it!

This year Joan has set her own personal goal.....she wants to make a dress for every girl at John Paul School! .......that means 144 dresses!  She has delivered 80 dresses so far and has just informed me that she has 50 more for me to pick up this week!  Looks like Joan will definitely hit her goal......and then perhaps she'll be able to take a much deserved rest!
I feel very blessed to have Joan in my life.  She's the sweetest and most thoughtful person and always coming up with great new ideas for how to make the Little Dresses just a little more special!

So I say to Joan, on behalf of the girls at John Paul Secondary School,
"Thank You, Thank You, Thank You"!   You are the Best!

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