Loved 4 Life
Since the Ōmokoroa Chapter of Loved 4 Life was started in February 2017 we have welcomed over 80 babies into our community, including four sets of twins and another set due later this year.
Our volunteers have made over 250 quilts, hundreds of baby vests, jackets, hats and booties, and delivered about 75 meals.
Excess quilts have been sent to the Bethlehem Birthing Centre where they are put on the cots for the new babies and the mums are told they are welcome to take them home. These quilts are accompanied by the message “these quilts are made with love by the volunteers of Loved 4 Life Ōmokoroa in the hope that your baby will be loved for life”.
We are very lucky to be helped by The Centre in Ōmokoroa who give us a grant each year to fund wool, fabrics and other small items we need, and Good Neighbour in Tauranga who provide us with foodstuffs for the meals we make and are also providing care packages for our new mums.
We have also been given grants over the years from Legacy Trust, The WBOPDC Community Matching Fund, The Warehouse and Ōmokoroa Lions Club. We very much appreciate the contribution these groups have made, which allow us to continue helping our young families.
We have a team of ten dedicated volunteers who meet monthly having a ‘show and tell’ of the things we have
made, sharing photos, texts and emails we have received from grateful mums and enjoying each other’s company. The Peggy Purl knitting group have also been very supportive of Loved 4 Life, making beautiful knitted merino blankets for each of our babies. Our mums all appreciate these very much, especially in these winter months.
For those who have not heard about Loved 4 Life, it was established in 2007 in Waikanae in response to the tragic deaths of the Kāhui twins. A small church group led by our founder Marcia Guest wanted a unique and special way to reach out to families in their local community after the birth of a new baby to show they are loved and supported. Ōmokoroa Chapter is the 15th chapter of this wonderful organisation.
Our vision is to positively impact families. Our goal is that every child will be Loved 4 Life and that parents will have the skills to make this happen.
With Ōmokoroa growing as fast as it is, the area we are now visiting has extended to Pahoia, Whakamārama and Plummers Point and we are in need of some new volunteers to help us. Recently, after an article published in The Sun newspaper, we have had several replies which will now enable us to extend to the Katikati area. We will most likely begin a new chapter in Tauranga City, but we still need volunteers to help make the gifts we give our new mums.
Can you quilt and would like to share? Can you knit and would like to share? Can you cook a meal and would like to share?
If the answer is “yes” to any of these
questions, we need you to become part of our wonderful Loved 4 Life team and we would love to have you join us to enhance the lives of the families of our newest community members. Contact me, Cathy Taylor on 021 704 686 or email gregncathy51@hotmail.com