Update on Fundraisers for Ukraine

It’s about time to give an update on the fundraisers for Ukraine that we have been involved in over the last year and a half. Last winter, we shipped 3,500 safety reflectors to kids in Kyiv which we posted about here. It was quite a project and we could not have done it without help from others here in the Chicago area and beyond. We are grateful for the students from the honors program at Evanston Township High School, who spend a few hours after school to attach chains to the reflectors. In an amazing team effort, about ten students chained over 3,000 reflectors in no time! An anonymous local donor and the Danish-Ukranian organization “Bevar Ukraine” helped us ship the reflectors to Ukraine. This included another 500 safety reflectors that we were able to send in November of 2023. The Kyiv Police posted some pictures here in March of 2023, when the first batch arrived.

Local high school students helping attach chains to safety reflectors for Ukrainian children as part of our fundraisers for Ukraine
A few of the high school students from ETHS that helped attach chains to the reflectors. Faces are hidden for safety reasons.

Safety Reflectors Raising Money for Ukrainian women in Sweden

Before we received the request for safety reflectors, we used some to raise funds for Ukrainian women in Sweden. In 2022, we donated 120 safety reflectors to SWEA, the Swedish Women’s Educational Association, which is a global network of Swedish Women living abroad. Across the world, SWEA was raising money for a project in Sweden, where Ukrainian refugee women in Sweden with a background in health care, received Swedish language education and help fining jobs in Sweden. The safety reflectors contributed to raising around $700 in chapters across North America. Globally, SWEA raised about $100,000, and it was their largest donation ever to a single cause. There is more information here (in Swedish) about the donation to “Beredskapslyftet” and the Ukrainian Professional Support Center in Stockholm.

Fundraiser closed

For now, we have closed our fundraiser for Ukraine, but if you want to help, you can donate directly to our partner in Denmark: “Bevar Ukraine” who are still very active or to any of the organizations listed in this NPR article.

Thanks again to all who are helping those who are in distress because of wars!

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Safety Reflectors for Kids in Kyiv, Ukraine

As the war rages on in Ukraine, my mom, who is child refugee from East Germany, and I have had many long conversations on the trauma of being a child in war times. Yesterday, we received a request from the Danish-Ukranian organization “Bevar Ukraine” to help provide safety reflectors for children in Kyiv. If you think it is is hard to see kids (and adults) in the dark here in North America, imagine what it is like where there is no power for street lights. So, of course we’ll send some safety reflectors for kids in Kyiv – 3,500 to be precise.

We are sending 3,500 safety reflectors to kids in Kyiv, among others, stars, soccer balls, baseballs and peace signs
We are sending 3,500 safety reflectors to kids in Kyiv, among others, stars, soccer balls, baseballs and peace signs

There are also several other factors which makes this such a heartbreaking situation:

  • Kids and teens are already traumatized by the war
  • Many of the kids living in Kiev today have been misplaced from other parts of the country and are not used to navigating the heavy traffic of a big city
  • The days are significantly shorter in Kyiv than in most places in the US outside of Alaska. Today sunrise in Kyiv is at 7:40 am and sunset at 4:41pm, which means some kids will go both to and from school in the dark, dawn or dusk.

We are helping as much as we can by sending 3,500 reflectors from our inventory. If you want us to send more, we need your help to pay for material. A donation of $5 will add 5 reflectors to our shipment. If you want to help more, just add it several times to the cart or go to your cart and change the quantity. You can combine it with an order of safety reflectors for yourself and your loved ones. We will close this fundraiser when we ship, which we hopefully will do by February 2nd, 2023. Please note that this fundraiser has been closed. Thank you to everyone who contributed!!!

Below is a translation of the letter from the Ukrainian National Police about the Safety light Project.

Kyiv, November 25, 2022
About involvement to cooperation
With this letter, I express my gratitude to the non-governmental organization “Futurelab Ukraine” and to the Department of Public Communications of the executive body of the Kyiv City Council (Kyiv City State Administration) for fruitful cooperation in 2021 in the “Safety Light” project, and invite you to join the implementation of new events in 2022-2023, aimed at preventing child injuries and creating a safe environment for children in the conditions of the war.
As of today, as a result of russian aggression, the energy infrastructure of the country, and, in particular, of the city of Kyiv, has undergone critical destruction. Strict energy-saving measures are being forcibly introduced in the city: large-scale power outages are carried out in residential buildings and infrastructure facilities, and street lighting is also turned off. All this has a significant impact on children’s safety. However, despite all the negative and dangerous factors that arose as a result of the war, the educational process continues in the city of Kyiv. Most amount of children attend educational institutions with various forms of education. In addition, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine, many citizens (mainly women and children from the southern and eastern regions of Ukraine) suffered from enemy shelling and were forced to move to safer cities. To date, more than 207,000 internally displaced persons have been registered in the city of Kyiv, of which 36,200 are children. Today, it is these children who most often become victims of childhood injuries, since it is difficult for them to adapt to the conditions of a big city, where the intensity of traffic is much higher than in the settlements where they lived before being forced to move to the city of Kyiv.
In addition, cases of injuries to children who return home from school in the dark period of the day have become more frequent, because in the autumn and winter season, the light period is much shorter and road users become practically invisible, which leads to their injuries.
With the aim of reducing child injuries and ensuring a safe environment, the juvenile prevention police officers of the preventive activities department of the main department of the national police of the city of Kyiv constantly conduct educational, informational and educational activities aimed at forming a high level of legal awareness and correct value orientations. In addition, we constantly conduct information activities regarding the safe behavior of children on the street “Be noticeable”.
Considering the above, we offer the authors of the “Safety Light” project, the representatives of the NGO “Futurelab Ukraine” Tetiana Haliuk and Olena Medvyedyeva, as well as to the charity foundation “Bevar Ukraine” and to the Department of Public Communications of the executive body of the Kyiv City Council (Kyiv City State Administration) in 2022-2023, to join the work of juvenile prevention police in online and online meetings, as well as to find an opportunity to provide children with reflective elements (stickers, bracelets, vests, lanterns and other reflective elements) in the amount of about 50,000 pieces as soon as possible, depending on opportunities of partners. Reflective elements will be distributed to children by juvenile prevention officers during preventive and educational events and at informational meetings.
We hope on effective cooperation!
Sincerely,
Oleg ONYSHKO

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Small Business Saturday is not over…

Today is Small Business Saturday, yesterday was Black Friday and with only one day of breathing space, we have Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday ahead. Are you also overwhelmed with an inbox where every email is screaming for your attention (and your money)? Or the notifications on your phone announcing “deal drops every hour”? Yea, we are too and that’s why we want to give you a chance to slow down, take a walk, hang out with your favorite people or just curl up with a book. Then shop what you need when it suits your schedule.

Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday is all one sale at funflector so you can shop great deals on your terms
Small Business Saturday is a great campaign to highlight small businesses, but your support is equally appreciated any day!

Small Business Saturday is not over… Read More »

Dog and kids trick-or-treating in the neighborhood wearing halloween costumes and safety reflectors

Halloween Safety Tips 2022

Halloween is supposed to be dark, spooky and scary. But it should be fun scary, not dangerous scary, and there is difference between jumping high from a sudden “BOOO!” and getting hurt and landing in the ER. A link to a Washington Post article on why Halloween is so dangerous to kids landed in our inbox the other day and they the got it surprisingly right. Traffic and cars are BY FAR the biggest danger to kids on Halloween and that year-around infrastructure improvements are needed to keep wakers and bicyclists safe on Halloween and all other days of the year.

Dog and kids trick-or-treating in the neighborhood wearing halloween costumes and safety reflectors
No Halloween costume is complete for neighborhood trick-or-treating without safety reflectors.

However, today’s trick-or-treating kids will not wait for years to have safer streets, so how do you help your kids (teens included!) be safe on Halloween right now? Here are our Halloween Safety Tips for 2022:

1. Use safety reflectors. At least two (front and back – or – left and right), preferably more and let them dangle.
2. Talk traffic safety with your kids – start BEFORE Halloween, or even better, discuss traffic safety with your kids year-around.
3. Be a good role model: Follow traffic rules both when walking and driving and wear safety reflectors when out and about after dark.
4. Remind drivers of all ages about trick-or-treaters and about the importance of putting away distractions while driving and keeping to the speed limit.

Stylish Safety Reflectors

We believe safety reflectors should be as stylish and fun as costumes, makeup and other Halloween accessories. Therefore, we have over the years expanded our collection of ghosts and jack O’Lantern safety reflectors to also include skulls, ninjas, which hats, bats and cats. And then of course any of our other reflectors might be a good fit depending on the costume theme. If you are a parent accompanying your kids and want something sleeker than a ghost, get some safety reflectors that are designed with grown-ups in mind here!

Gallery of Halloween safety reflectors by funflector - ghosts, skulls, ninjas, cats, bats and more
Pick your favorite Halloween safety reflector. Hint: there is no “better”, they are all super bright!

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funflector Events 2022

After several years of online sales only, we are excited to be out again to have conversations about pedestrian safety and fun designs.
Below are the in-person events and markets in the Chicago area and a virtual that we are taking part in during 2022.

Next up are the VIRTUAL Scandinavian Fest Holiday Market – December 2-3 and, at the same time, the in-person Andersonville Winter Market, December 2-4.

Chicago - Andersonville Winter Market at Catalpa / Clark, December 2-4, 2022 - Andersonville.org
Andersonville Winter Market, December 2-4, 2022

Winter & Holiday Markets 2022

Fall & Halloween Markets 2022

  • September 11 – Scandinavian Day – South Elgin IL, Vasa Park – 10am – 5pm
  • October 2 – Maker’s Market – Evanston IL – 1800 Maple Ave, 5th floor, 12pm – 5pm
  • October 22 – West End Fall Market – SE corner of Dodge and Church, Evanston IL – 11am – 4pm

Summer Markets 2022

Chicago - Andersonville Winter Market at Catalpa / Clark, December 2-4, 2022 - Andersonville.org
8th International Christmas Market at the Estonian House Chicago in Riverwoods IL - Saturday November 19th 2022
funflector at the Evanston Made Maker's Market October 2, 2022
Chicago – Andersonville Winter Market at Catalpa / Clark, December 2-4, 2022 – Andersonville.org
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How to Help Ukraine

As so many around the world, we have been horrified seeing the Russian attack on Ukraine unfolding in the news and on social media. Authoritarianism attacking democracy – again. One crazy man destroying the lives of so many children, women and men. Again. We are pleased to see governments stepping up sending defense equipment and humanitarian help to Ukraine. Nevertheless, we wish we could figure out how to help Ukraine end the madness immediately.

In the meantime, Ukrainians need all help they can get. If you are able, please donate to humanitarian organizations like the Red Cross, Care or Save the Children.⁠ Many news organizations has published longer lists with reputable organizations, for example this one from NPR.

backpack with yellow and blue heart safety reflectors by funflector
Hang the blue and yellow heart safety reflectors on your jackets, bags and backpacks to show support for the Ukrainian people. We will donate to humanitarian help with each order

We’ve put together a 4-pack of blue and yellow heart safety reflectors, the Ukrainian flag colors, where we will donate $8 to the Red Cross for each sold pack. Hang them on jacket zipper pulls and bags, backpacks, strollers etc to show your support for the people in Ukraine. On top of that, we’ll donate 10% of sales of our other products to the Red Cross when you use promo code “NO-WAR“. Please note that this fundraiser has been closed. Thank you to everyone who contributed!!!

Independent Press

Independent press is crucial for people around the world to understand what is actually going on. Especially with misinformation campaigns on social media, quality investigative journalism is more needed than ever. Therefore, The Kyiv Independent, is now making the chilling podcast Gaslit Nation company among our Patreon subscriptions. We highly recommend both of them if you want to learn more about Ukraine.

The funflector team

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We Have Moved to Evanston!

We’ve moved to Evanston! At the end of last year, we left Libertyville to be closer to the city and are now settling in on the North Shore in beautiful Evanston. Chicago is just a block to the south and the Lake Michigan beaches are a 15 minute walk to the east. It’s amazingly walkable and bikeable with frequent public transportation just around the corner. We can’t wait for spring, so we can explore in more pleasant temperatures.

Welcome to the City of Evanston sign
Welcome to the City of Evanston!

The city of Evanston is technically a suburb, but has a very urban feel due to its density. With the lake on one side, Chicago to the south and Skokie and Wilmette west and north, there is no room for suburban sprawl and oversized roads. On top of that, Evanston was ahead of the crowd and embraced transit-oriented development, TOD, already in the 80’s. This means increased density around transit hubs paired with decreased need for cars. This Politico Article from 2015 explains it quite thoroughly. For more background info on why this was a good move, check out Strongtowns or “Not Just Bikes“.

According the the census bureau, Evanston has a population of 78,000 on 7.8 square miles. We are looking forward to connect with our new neighbors and local businesses once the pandemic has calmed down and warmer weather makes it easier to hang out outdoors.

Impressions from the South End of Evanston

Biking on the Evanston side of Howard Street.
Biking on the Evanston side of Howard Street (before the snow arrived). On the other side is Chicago. Traffic is moving slowly enough that it feels ok to bike although we would of course prefer protected bike lanes. Needless to say: A large stash of safety reflectors came in handy!

The other day, we took a walk in the very south end of Evanston. The vintage houses are relatively small and mixed with 3-story apartment buildings which gives the neighborhood a down-to-earth and intimate feel. Below are some highlights from a cold but sunny afternoon earlier this week.

We Have Moved to Evanston! Read More »

Gifts for Musicians

Why design safety reflectors in the shape of musical notes and clefs? Because we love music and musical notation is fascinating! But we also want to help musicians and music lovers get home safely after concerts. Our reflectors are stylish and easy to hang on jackets, bags and instrument cases. In other words: perfect gifts for musicians and music lovers! We know how often rehearsals and concerts take place late in the evening. Especially at this time of year, that means coming and going in the dark. 

Music note safety reflector on bag
Ready for the evening rehearsal: music bag with quaver reflective tag.

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Halloween Safety 2021

The evenings are getting darker, the leaves are turning to beautiful shades of red, yellow and orange and Halloween is just around the corner. Time to plan costumes and decoration, but also to prep your teens and kids for a safe and fun night. Drivers not seeing trick-or-treaters is the number one Halloween safety concern that should be on every adult’s mind this week. It is not too late to order funflector reflectors to help keep them seen and safe. We have a wide range of reflectors, including some ultra-bright Halloween reflectors that are fun and stylish. From bright orange jack-o-lantern to a more discreet black cat, there is something for everyone. To make sure you get them in time for Halloween, order them by Monday, November 25 at noon CST.

Children trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. Some with safety reflectors some without. Halloween safety 2021 is both about staying away from the Covid-19 virus and be visible in traffic.
Children trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. Good reflectors make a difference to their visibility and safety.

4 Steps to Halloween Safety

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Equinox 2021 – Shorter Days are Coming

Where did the summer go? Tomorrow, September 22, 2021, is already equinox, the day when day and night are equally long. From there on, the days are rapidly getting shorter, making it harder to avoid being out in the dark. Last weekend, we had a furry visitor and we barely managed to take the post-dinner walk before it was pitch black. Just in the last week Chicago has lost 21 minutes of sunlight, 13 in the evening and 8 in the morning. Today, the sun rises at 6:37am and is gone again at 6:47pm. It’s hard to adjust your schedule when the light is changing that rapidly, even for us who are tracking it meticulously. Over the summer, we were a little lazy and did not always bring safety reflectors, but that has to change now. Equinox also means safety reflector season because who wants to get caught unseen in the dark? Better seen than sorry!

Safety reflectors are must-haves for dog walkers and dogs alike now when the nights will be longer than the days.

Is a reflective dog leash bright enough?

Using a reflective dog leash is great, but as you can see in the video above, the funflector safety reflectors are brighter. Of course, it depends on what quality and how much reflective material the leash has, so test yours so you know. The brighter the reflectors the further away the drivers can see you. This is particularly important along streets with faster traffic. Our leash might be bright enough on a residential street with very slow traffic, but for a highway, we need more reflective power. We like to hang one reflector in each end of the leash for extra safety.

Red and black ninja safety reflector by funflector
The reflector hanging on the dog leash in the video is a ninja. Available here.

The dog walker needs to be seen too! We have plenty of reflectors hanging on our jacket zipper pulls, but that is of little use when it’s too warm for jackets. So this time of year, reflective slap wraps are the most practical solution. They only take a second to slap on and are easy to wear for walkers, runner and bicyclists.

The funflector team

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