September 3, 2010 | Story by: Leslie Huffman | Categories: Community, Featured
Cary, NC – Our community helping others…I see that every week in our stories we post here on CaryCitizen. But my recent visit to the Cary Senior Center’s Sewing Club really gave me a smile. Here is the interesting part, sewing is only a small portion of what this group is all about. There are many reasons why this Sewing Club and its members are so special.
900 Years of Sewing Experience
This group of ladies (and one gentleman) have been sewing items for the community for more than 20 years. They began meeting at Herb Young Community Center sometime back in in the early 90′s (no one remembered exactly when). Once the new Cary Senior Center was built in 2000 they began meeting there.
I asked Barbara Harraghy, the sewing club’s president, how would someone go about joining the Sewing Club?
“Just show up!”, Barbara said. “We meet every Monday from 9 a.m. until noon. Just come on by and we’ll put you to work”.
Armed with more than 900 collective years of sewing, knitting and quilting experience this group of 65 members produce beautiful high quality goods at a rapid pace.
They make gorgeous quilted and knitted lap robes, baby hats and booties, scarves, socks, and wonderful cloth dolls. All these handcrafted items are then sent where they are needed most.
1,500 Items Since 2009
Their sense of community keeps them focused on helping people locally by sending what they produce to local hospitals, emergency rooms, retirement homes, day care centers and hospices.
In 2009 they sewed, knitted, quilted and crocheted well over 1,500 items. Hard at work, it looks to me that they will surpass last year’s output.
A Beehive of Sewing
They meet in a large room at the Senior Center and have specific areas working on different projects.
One group is knitting and crocheting lap blankets and scarves, while another group is hard at work on the 12 sewing machines the Center owns. Most of the sewing machines have been donated and are used to sew cloth doll cut-outs and clothes and for sewing quilts together.
Across the room they are stuffing dolls and dressing them in the adorable freshly made doll clothes. Another group of women are organizing fabric squares in color palates and patterns for quiltmaking. Barbara helps organize all the handmade crafts into bins and makes sure they reach their final destination.
But sewing and giving back is only part of what this group of young-hearted folks are all about. Many of these women have been together for years, meeting every Monday morning to sew or knit and chit-chat with their freinds. Some have lost spouses or been ill. Some have passed on. They are there to support and help each other, all the while stitching away.
While I was there, Barbara was showing a new member around and introducing her to some of the other ladies. They range in age from 60 to the oldest member who is 96 years young. Another women in the group has lost her sight and is blind. Her husband comes in to cut fabric for the cloth dolls and she helps to stuff them with fibers.
Friendship and common experiences keeps these ladies looking forward to their Monday meetings. They feel good about the work they do and feel good to have a place to gather with friends and work towards a goal together.
“This group is very skilled”, Barbara says. “All the different groups that meet here at the Senior Center offer so many opportunities and things for us to do and learn. This place keeps us active and involved. There is so many years of knowledge and talent here.”
Donate
The Sewing Club is always in need of donations.
If you have any cotton fabric, thread, yarn or maybe an unused sewing machine that you would like to donate, just drop it off at the front desk. It will be used and appreciated!
Strong & Beautiful
As I concluded my visit with the Sewing Club, I felt that I wanted to stay longer. This group of women were so strong, beautiful and full of fun.
I looked forward to the days when I can be apart of a group like that. One that shares, stitch by stitch, life lessons and experiences, making a lasting impact on the community and sewing a legacy of caring and friendship.
They truly filled my heart.
