What it is all about...

An Open Letter From Ellie,

November 1989 I received a phone call that would end up changing my life.
A decorator in Atlanta called and ask if I would be interested in making
blankets for 6 patients in Atlanta's first aids hospice and 2 afghans for
the living room. I found out their favorite colors and worked on them.
In the meantime the man I was dating called and was very upset and said
that if I did this he would no longer see me. The next week he called
and inquired if I had gone into that house and I replied yes. The he ask
if I held my breath and I said yes the entire 2 hours.

Over the years there have been as many as 500 volunteers. Most of this
was because of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. But before that I got a
request to be interviews for an article in the Dunwoody Crier. Well I
was so afraid of the hate mail and calls. The first call was from a lady
whose grandson was receiving the benefit of all the research that was
being done on Aids. She said every time she tried to talk about it no
one would listen so now in a group she just hands out copies of the
article and people understand. She ask if I would meet her at Denny's
(which became my office) She told me then she thought this would be my
mission in life. I really laughed at that. Now 19 years later and 4 TV
interviews and numerous of articles written I guess she might have been
right.

One brief story that tells how crazy I am. I was so depressed and
worried about funding that I was in tears. I get 3 calls on the answering
machine that the U.S. Public Health Department was trying to reach me. I
first thought was "O God they are going to shut me down before I really
get going". He called again that night and I am still crying. He says
the U.S. government is very interested in hearing how I am able to get so
many volunteers. He says they will send a car and pay me. He ask how I
felt and I replied, Does a chickens lips giggle when it smiles?" (I have no
idea where that came from) So the next week I am going to give a talk to
the Southeastern conference. When I get down to the hotel and up to
the large room a speaker is still talking to a packed room. I went
downstairs for a smoke (another bad habit) When I went back up only 7
people were left. On a Friday afternoon everyone wanted to get home. I shut the
door and threw my body against it and said no one leaves till you hear me
out. The man that had called had this stricken look on his face and I
was ready to throw up. I started by saying that everyone has to meet me
at my office...Denny's. Well this brought some smile and I was of to the
races. That is also where I met Steve Dorage that was the Georgia U.S.
Dept. We had a long talk and he said He was with the retired peace corps
volunteers and he wanted to help. So we never know when the rock goes
into the lake the ripples that we cause.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution contacted me about an article in 1991 and since there was
no news that day they put the article on the top of the front page in
color. That really was the beginning. there were calls from everywhere.

By the way, when I started out working with Jerusalem House I decided to
enclose a hand written note. "This gift what made especially for you
with love, hope and care." Back then the life expectancy was a year. I
had made a deal with Project open Hand after signing a confidentially
paper they would send me a computer print out and I would call the people
chat with them and ask if they would like a blanket and what color. There
were a lot of tears and some the people that received them requested to
be buried in them. Sometime I would call and a Mother was there picking
up her son's personal things.

In the beginning while I was talking with Priest he was laughing about me
making a blanket a day. So I became the smoking needle. So when an
attorney went to file the papers all the good names where taken so I
became the Smoking Needle, Ltd. Now this name really offended a lot of
folks. A friend of mine wrote another article and called the article
Ellie's Angels and for some reason the name stuck and that is what we are
called.

Because of my background in politics I know how that work and because of
that, and maybe I am a control freak although I don't think so) I
decided to keep my organization very small and when I got a call for a
request I could make the decision to do whatever the request was and
didn't have to go through 6 committees for a decision.

A good friend of mine works for a hotel and met some policemen. So we
have sent boxes of blankets and now when we hear of a policemen or
firemen that has been injured we send a blanket.

From the website elliesangels.com we get requests and over the years
have sent blankets to California, Texas, Florida, Tennessee, etc. A woman in
Texas tried to get an organization like this started and was unable.

In the early 90's when I had no funding for yarn I got 2 calls. One from
a man in Mississippi and another in Philadelphia who owned thread
companies. The man in Philadelphia also manufactured the tabs that hold
skirts up. So I made ribbon blankets and with the thread I would take
13 cones, wind them together to make yarn. It make some beautiful
blankets because the Mississippi guy sent thread dyed the most beautiful
colors. The blankets were gorgeous and I guess the saying about lemons
and lemonade comes to mind.

I have met, by phone, some wonderful people and because of the ripples
these people led me to other groups and organization. When people were
upset about me working with Aids, I continued to do so, but expanded it
to include hospices all over the cities. Then we have expanded even more
to include Cancer Centers, Bosom Buddies, Policemen, firemen Hospitals,
Center for the Visually Impaired and Angel Flight.

In the late 90's the Atlanta Journal Constitution wrote another article and the
response was staggering. The article must have gone out to other states
because a man who is an executive for Caron International Yarn company in
South Carolina called and he said his wife had handed him the article and
said send this woman some yarn. The yarn was something new on the market
and very soft. At the same time one of my best friends found out he had
cancer and began Chemo treatment. He ask if I could make up blankets for
the people because it was so cold. Years later that would expand to
Kidney Dialysis Centers.

For over 10 years St. John's Newman Catholic Church has had a yarn drive
every year in September, Bank of America has also had a yarn drive for us
every February. I met a very nice man while I was in politics who stayed in
touch. After trying to talk me out of it and saying I couldn't make this
work about 5 years into the journey his mothers foundation donated a
small amount each year. Since asking for help is my weakest area his
mother's foundation has been all there is.

Before I forget I am an avid reader and since I don't go out people send
me lots of books/ I started sending magazines and books to the kidney
centers. It really caught on and the centers built book shelves and
truly enjoy.