Finish the Dance
Kyle William Designs | 2018
This project was made possible by the generous donation of yarn by skacel Collection, Inc. and bags by Erin Lane Bags. All proceeds from the sale of this kit will be donated to Lambert House; a center for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth that empowers through the development of leadership, social, and life skills.
49 kits were available for this project; one for each life lost in the shooting. Kits include the written pattern, yarn, a single bead to honor the memory of the one person your cowl represents, a numbered stitch marker, and numbered project bag.
Shipping costs will be deducted from the purchase price, and all remaining proceeds will be donated to Lambert House. Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery. |
 UPDATE: June 13, 2018
All 49 kits sold in 1-1/2 days, raising over $2,000 for Lambert House and LGBTQ youth... all in memory of the 49 souls lost that terrible night. THANK YOU to those who purchased. For those wanting to join us in helping others, consider a donation to Lambert House. |
They were dancing. Laughing. Celebrating. Then, in the middle of the song, the dance was cut short. Honoring the 49 lives lost at the Pulse Nightclub on June 12, 2016, this project has been 2 years in the making.
In high school, I was in a teen theater troupe; the Positive Force Players. Based in Arizona, we traveled from schools, conferences, and workshops, performing scenes we had developed covering a variety of topics issues such as teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, prejudice, and date rape. The prejudice scene addressed many different groups, including homosexuality. On stage, away from my family, I was able to speak out loud the words I wished everyone could hear – it’s love… In my own school, I felt isolated and alone. Like so many of my friends, I too was bullied.
Having a connection with others who share your story is important. After coming out to my parents as gay, I moved across country to live with my parents in Tennessee. My environment had changed drastically, and my parents (although as supportive as they could be) weren’t able to sit down and talk with me about it. I felt lost. A search in the newspaper (this was before the internet!) led me to a talk group called One in Teen. It was there that I met about a dozen other youth who had stories similar to mine. We talked and connected, and through those weekly meetings I was able to become more confident in myself, which eventually led to my decision to go to college.
Hearing about the Pulse shootings, my initial reactions were fear, then terror, then frustration and anger. At the time, I was living in San Francisco, and I realized that despite the steps forward in acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or questioning individuals, there is still a constant threat of violence. It really hit home because my route from work to home brought me through the Castro district. This part of San Francisco is full of pride and rainbow flags, and people have a feeling of safety walking down the street holding hands. It’s where I met up with friends for drinks or dinner. It could have been any of us.
On the corner of 18th and Castro stood the memorial; this is where we gather to remember, mourn, and learn. The day after the shootings I stopped and looked at the outpouring of emotion on this historic corner. Flowers, drawings, candles, photographs… At that specific moment in time I had never felt more terrified or loved or alone or safe. I wanted to do something to honor the memory of those lost that night. Today marks the 2-year anniversary of the shooting. It’s never too late to do something.
I selected Lambert House as the organization to receive the funds raised from this project because the work they do is so very similar to the organization that helped me as a youth. We all deserve to feel connected, supported, and love.
Thank you for taking time to make a difference.
--Kyle
In high school, I was in a teen theater troupe; the Positive Force Players. Based in Arizona, we traveled from schools, conferences, and workshops, performing scenes we had developed covering a variety of topics issues such as teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, prejudice, and date rape. The prejudice scene addressed many different groups, including homosexuality. On stage, away from my family, I was able to speak out loud the words I wished everyone could hear – it’s love… In my own school, I felt isolated and alone. Like so many of my friends, I too was bullied.
Having a connection with others who share your story is important. After coming out to my parents as gay, I moved across country to live with my parents in Tennessee. My environment had changed drastically, and my parents (although as supportive as they could be) weren’t able to sit down and talk with me about it. I felt lost. A search in the newspaper (this was before the internet!) led me to a talk group called One in Teen. It was there that I met about a dozen other youth who had stories similar to mine. We talked and connected, and through those weekly meetings I was able to become more confident in myself, which eventually led to my decision to go to college.
Hearing about the Pulse shootings, my initial reactions were fear, then terror, then frustration and anger. At the time, I was living in San Francisco, and I realized that despite the steps forward in acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or questioning individuals, there is still a constant threat of violence. It really hit home because my route from work to home brought me through the Castro district. This part of San Francisco is full of pride and rainbow flags, and people have a feeling of safety walking down the street holding hands. It’s where I met up with friends for drinks or dinner. It could have been any of us.
On the corner of 18th and Castro stood the memorial; this is where we gather to remember, mourn, and learn. The day after the shootings I stopped and looked at the outpouring of emotion on this historic corner. Flowers, drawings, candles, photographs… At that specific moment in time I had never felt more terrified or loved or alone or safe. I wanted to do something to honor the memory of those lost that night. Today marks the 2-year anniversary of the shooting. It’s never too late to do something.
I selected Lambert House as the organization to receive the funds raised from this project because the work they do is so very similar to the organization that helped me as a youth. We all deserve to feel connected, supported, and love.
Thank you for taking time to make a difference.
--Kyle
