Operation Sock Monkey Booth at the Strathcona Craft Fair Nov 28! And Latest Updates!

November 26, 2015December 9, 2015 | Kat Thorsen

My incredible Operation Sock Monkey Western Division team of youth, teachers, support staff, community members of all ages have been hard at work since July, volunteering time and donating supplies and monkeys.

And now part of this great sock monkey collection goes on sale this Saturday at the Strathcona Craft Fair 10 AM-4 PM! 601 Keefer, Vancouver BC

Only $20 each!

Proceeds benefits the KYT Foundation‘s water pipeline project in Nepal as well as my sock monkey therapy for local at-risk youth!

Inspired by the Shaking the Movers conference in Summer 2015 and thanks to the social justice class at Mountainside Secondary School, each monkey is tagged with a human right:

Huge thank you to my sock monkey makers and support team!

I love you all!!! YOU ARE AMAZING!

Special mention to my hero Lynn Gosnell, “Auntie Lynn,” who has created and donated an incredible collection of her monkeys. She is an angel on earth and has positively impacted countless of youth in her many years as a child and youth worker.

1919617_10204472394112050_7081965313614563249_n — Auntie Lynn receiving a sock monkey made by student, Liz, at Keith Lynn Alternative Secondary School in 2011.

And thank you to our beloved customers and donors whose generosity keeps us going!

This is such a feel-good craftivist movement for everyone involved!!!

Check out:

UPDATE November 30, 2015:

The craft sale went well!!! We sold about thirty monkeys- most at $20 each, some at $10 and some given to vulnerable kids. We raised $524.00! I sent $290.00 to KYT Foundation and the rest goes to much-needed supplies and free workshops with local homeless women and youth, as well workshops with refugee youth and students at Mountainside Secondary.

12308591_10208307436345709_3796972687023876334_n — My daughter, Anna Thorsen, manned the booth with me and Queen of sock monkeys, Auntie Lynn, visited us! Her monkeys were a huge hit!

12321120_10208307427625491_1917597750778372523_n — Operation Sock Monkey Western Division Operative, Leann Weisbecker, dropped off some gorgeous creations!

12316527_10208307349383535_2346597543029717630_n — One of our very happy customers!

Mountainside will be hosting a craft sale December 11 at which we will sell more monkeys (funds from the craft table rentals and sock monkey sales to KYT) and I have a stock of 20 at home I will be offering on ETSY (proceeds to KYT). LINK

I held a workshop for refugee youth last month and we all had a great time! Monkeys spoke a language we all understood! I will be offering more of these workshops in the new year as the need increases and will be assisted by social justice students.

Tons of love! Kat

“I am doing what I can.” – Dukdukdiya, the hummingbird

Update December 9, 2015

A total of $350.00 has been donated so far to Kamala Yonzon Tahrayli Foundation from Operation Sock Monkey sock monkey sales from Nov 28 craft fair sales and Dec 7 sales. Sock monkeys were made by local community members and students at Mountainside Secondary School! And the school is holding a craft fair on Friday Dec 11 to benefit KYT Foundation!

200 + sock monkeys for Nepal event! Operation Sock Monkey for KYT Foundation.

June 7, 2015June 11, 2015 | Kat Thorsen

Operation Sock Monkey Western Division is embarking on a Summer journey to create 200 + sock monkeys that will be sold to benefit the KYT FOUNDATION a Vancouver, B.C.-based non-profit established to bring flowing water to a remote Nepali village in the Kabre Palanchowk District; Healay Chaubas. The village is now rebuilding after the earthquake and is in urgent need of help.

Kamala’s dream to bring water to her village has been in progress since her father’s passing 5 years ago. But after the devastating earthquake, 80% of the buildings in Kamala’s village have been ruined and the residents now sleep in the fields. As the residents begin the difficult task of rebuilding, this is the optimum time to bring in a water pipeline as infrastructure is reevaluated.

Photos courtesy KYT Foundation

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I want to help in a substantial way while at the same time creating healing projects in our local community. Nothing is quite as healing as sewing a sock monkey!

And having a goal of 200 monkeys truly lights the fire!

Operation Sock Monkey, Keith Lynn Alternative Secondary School 2010

I’ll be coordinating my teams of sock monkey makers (of all ages) in my local circles in Vancouver, BC- we’ll work individually and in groups and host sock monkeys sew-ins. The goal is to collect 200 monkeys as a group for a major craft sale. Additional monkeys will also be up for adoption/sponsorship starting now and will be sent to the village to do healing work on the ground.

$20 from the sale of each monkey will be donated directly to the KYT FOUNDATION

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HOW YOU CAN HELP/JOIN!

1. Sponsor a sock monkey– $10. You’ll receive a picture of the sock monkey and your name and message will be added to the sock monkey’s tag. Sponsored sock monkeys will be collected and sent to Kamala’s village in the Fall.

Click on this button:

2. Donate $ for supplies and snacks and shipping costs– we are volunteers and gather our own supplies and host workshops in homes and at schools. We could use $ to purchase supplies like sock, stuffing and to cover shipping costs.

Click on this button:

3. Make a sock monkey and send it to us to join the group of 200! Message me for my address as I will be collecting them!

Here’s how you make one:

How To Make A Sock Monkey (HD) from Fredrik Thorsen on Vimeo.

4. Donate $ directly to the KYT FOUNDATION on their site to directly support Kamala’s cause

5. Donate $ directly to Operation Sock Monkey to support of ongoing craftivism projects around the world.

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Kamala and Sunkosi of the KYT Foundation (china marker on newsprint)

Rhododendron- the national flower of Nepal

Team Nepal is growing! The 200 sock monkey (plus maybe a few pigs and pugs) event has begun!

Pictured here: human sock dolls by Shan, white sock monkey plus pigs by Mary Ann, clown by Tyanna! Striped monkey is The ambassador (No. 1 of 200)!

The dream has become an urgent quest. Walk for Water Nepal.

May 9, 2015May 9, 2015 | Kat Thorsen

Kamala Yonzon and her daughter Sunkosi treated me to a beautiful Nepalese dinner at Café Kathmandu last night and we chatted about life and creativity and family. I am so blessed to connect on a deeper level with these two extraordinary women.

I first connected with Kamala through my dear friend Laura Mack. I was coordinator at the time at Intersections Media Opportunities for Youth Society. The participants created a public service announcement for Kamala’s foundation:

KYT FOUNDATION

The Kamala Yonzon Tahrayli Foundation is a Vancouver, B.C.-based non-profit established to bring flowing water to a remote Nepali village in the Kabre Palanchowk District; Healay Chaubas.

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Kamala’s dream to bring water to her village has been in progress since her father’s passing 5 years ago. Now with the devastating earthquake, the dream has become an urgent quest. 80% of the buildings in Kamala’s village have been ruined and the residents now sleep in the fields.

As the residents begin the difficult task of rebuilding, this is the optimum time to bring in a water pipeline as infrastructure is reevaluated.

My youth programming continues to maintain a connection to the KYT Foundation.

Recall: Caddy’s project with Inside Out Project at Mountainside Secondary.

How you can help:

We have now launched an Indiegogo Life Campaign!

Huge thank you to our supporters so far!

Next goals, besides a social media/awareness push, is a fundraising dinner hosted by Kamala, a re-creation of the distance walked by villagers to get water from the nearest river and interactive art installation and a school-wide celebration.

Help us reach the $5000 goal! ❤️

KATARINA THORSEN

Creative Process

Kamala Yonzon Tahrayli Foundation