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January 14, 2012

Clothing Children Through Persnickety in Nicaragua

We are going to Nicaragua with our friends, the Rickenbachs, owners of Persnickety Clothing Company!

We will get to see all the dresses and school uniforms that have been sewn down there in conjunction with Persnickety’s Buy One, Give One program. From the beginning, Persnickety has committed to donate a portion of profits from each sale to the production of clothing for donation and gifting to a child in need. This started with sewing dresses for girls in orphanages and lower income families in South America. This program now includes sewing school uniforms for children from poorer families who can’t afford the uniforms. These help the children be able to attend school when they haven’t been attending.

The Rickenbachs are taking their three oldest children, who are each slightly younger than our three oldest, who we are taking as well. They are great friends and are so excited to be taking a trip together.

Here are the 4 oldest Rickenbach & Wilson kids

My husband, Mike and Craig Rickenbach went down to Nicaragua last year and found some great seamstresses  to do the job. The Buy-One-Give-One program also benefits the families of these women who sew the clothing, because it gives them steady work and increases their income significantly. The dresses are much more simple than what we’re used to. Here’s what some of the dresses look like.

I’m so happy that these girls are benefiting from the program! When we first launched Persnickety, we created the program and talked about modeling it after TOMS Shoes, but we didn’t know at that point how well Persnickety would do or if any of our dreams would actually become a reality.

Here are Mike and Craig at an orphanage last year.

Persnickety dreams have become a reality and we are overjoyed about it! Isn’t this sweet?

So now we get to come along to see how Persnickety is changing the world for good!

When we first met the Rickenbachs, we had some other friends and teachers in common that inspired us and convinced us that we had the power to change the world for good. I agree with what they taught, that we all have genius within us. We all have the power to influence others and our small and simple actions of influence can affect powerful change in the world.

We mothers have a magnified power to change the world. We have great influence on our children, and the principles we teach them will strengthen them throughout their lives. They will find ways to change the world positively if we show them how through our example.

We don’t have to go out of the country or even away from home to do important service. The sweetest service happens in quiet and personal ways, without fanfare or publishing. However, I know I’m inspired when I hear about how others are changing the world, and that is empowering.

I’ll be sure to post some pictures from our trip when we get back. The kids are hoping we get to see this volcano, and that it’s still smoking when we’re there. :)

We’ll pray for safe travel!

April 29, 2010

The Happy Factory: Toys For Children Worldwide

We recently went to visit a marvelous place called The Happy Factory, right here in lil old Cedar City.

This place was started by a retiring couple who enjoyed giving away home-made toys. When they realized their simple toys could make a powerful difference in the lives of children around the world, they forged ahead. You can read their sweet story by clicking HERE. It’s so good!

In this wonderful place, over 850,000 toys have been made and sent to children in need all around the world. It’s positively inspiring!

I am directing a group of girls this year called Young Stateswomen Society, of which my daughter, Raquel is a part. We were able to see exactly how the toys are made. I’m going to share this fascinating and wonderful process with you.

The Happy Factory receives donated carts of wood scraps each from a local cabinet company. It’s stuff they would throw away anyway.

Volunteers find pieces two by two that are about the same size.

These are glued and pressed together to double thickness. Then these stencils are traced onto them.

Like so.

Then a volunteer cuts these pieces out with a table saw and drills the holes.

Then they are sanded, smoothing all the rough edges.

Most the volunteers are retired men. They come in all hours of the day and night. Some are there until 4 AM cutting or sanding.

One guy says he can’t sleep anyway, so he may as well be doing something useful.

The sanded toys are stamped with the Happy Factory name.

Volunteers tap on the wheels at this table. These wheels, along with other maintenance, utility and machinery costs average out to 40 cents per toy.

Here they are, unfinished.

Then the little cars and trucks are brushed with oil. Don’t they look nice!

We all got to have a turn.

I love seeing my children learn new ways to serve others who are less fortunate then themselves.

The Happy Factory makes “diggers” for children with special needs.

The child sits on the seat and maneuvers the handles to transfer wiffle balls from one container to another.

We heard some inspiring stories of children whose lives have absolutely changed because of these toys.

The toys have gone to orphanages in Vietnam and Nicaragua, to children’s hospitals in Salt Lake City and Ghana, to Operation Smile in Bolivia and China, to a Head Start program on the Navajo Nation in Arizona, and countless other places.

They’ve even got a map to keep track of all the places their toys travel.

Some famous people had been to the Happy Factory. Like Amy Grant,

and John Huntsman.

You are going to be amazed at this professional video I made all by myself on my iMovie program. I stayed up until 1 in the morning, but it’s worth it. Pretty good for my first try if I do say so myself.

I loved the plaques the had on the walls.

And this one.

And everyone got to pick a toy to take home with them.

There are ways to serve in every community. If we all looked around us and dedicated some time, we could make a real difference in the world. The Happy Factory founders have been called,”Ordinary People Doing Extra-Ordinary Things.”

The only thing that sets them apart in greatness is they chose to act on their generous inclinations and continued to allow their vision to be enlarged.

We can do that too if we let Christ-like love flow through our hearts and let the Lord guide our paths.

The Happy Factory is a non-profit organization which now has 40 branches around the world that accept contributions and volunteer service. You can find them online at www.happyfactory.org

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