The Annual Tampa Bink-a-thon was a huge success this year.  We topped last
year’s total and completed 80 Binkies!


The Pilot Club of Ybor City sponsored the food and was our main contributor
as far as hands (and always lots of heart)!  Marne’s mother-in-law and Aunt
came up from Naples to join in as well.

There were some new faces joining the group this year, including 3 infants
that kept us smiling.  We had about 18 people join in.  This also includes
Karen Byram who was Binking in Gainesville simultaneously because she could
not make it down to join the group (her contribution was 15 Binkies).

There were lots of laughs and loads of fun.  The end result is always so
rewarding – The Tampa group is looking forward to beating our record next
year.

“It was a fantastic group!” Beamed Area Coordinator Marne LaForge, “We had so much fun and learned a lot from two ladies that are true quilters.”  Marne’s chapter doesn’t have regular meetings,  but she continues to collect binkies throughout the year to deliver to The Springs – a shelter for battered women and their children.   

Marne also had friends since childhood join her, her family drove two hours to help at the event — and of course visit with baby Camryn.  Jay helped keep the kids busy and the troops fed.  The Tampa Lutz chapter does it their own way, learning more and more each year.  They are an inspiration to those chapters who think that you have to have all great sewers and meet all of the time to be successful.  Each chapter has their own recipe for success!

Rossi hamming it up with a newly completed Binky sewers hard at work
Camryn and Zachary trying to help out at the Bink-a-thon by keeping us all laughing.