The No. 1 Sewing Team plaque presented to Creative Giving of SaddleBrooke Ranch from Mending Souls
Linda Shannon-Hills
Creative Giving SaddleBrooke Ranch has been a major contributor to Mending Souls of Tucson over the last 18 months, with more than 90 volunteer members making various items for the charities supported by Mending Souls.
At the recent Mending Souls reunion for volunteers, Creative Giving SaddleBrooke was awarded a plaque stating they were the “No. 1 Sewing Team 2022” for Mending Souls, making more than 3,780 items. We have sewn baby blankets, burp cloths, bibs for infants and toddlers, playtime blocks, rattles, baby head support pillows, ice pack covers, large safety teddy bears, as well as medium and small bears, heart pillows for heart patients and mastectomy patients, dignity covers for medical items, adult bibs, adult neck pillows, and wildlife cage covers, and we’ve crocheted and knitted baby blankets, bibs, sweaters, caps, and booties. The SBR Paper Crafters have also made cards for senior and assisted homes, as well as for patients in hospital.
“What an honor to be awarded this plaque. It brings such a warmth to our hearts to know we are making items with love for those in need,” said Co-Leaders Dian Gowen and Linda Shannon-Hills. “It has inspired our group to expand our creative giving to other charities needing items made with love.”
Besides Mending Souls, Creative Giving is making items for Family First Pregnancy Center located in Oracle and Winkleman, Christ Child Society of Tucson, and a few items for Kid’s Closet in Mammoth. Our group has made several items for residents of SaddleBrooke Ranch, like heart pillows, dog bone back and neck pillows, regular neck pillows, walker-bags, and sympathy items.
We continue to use our creative minds to find other items to benefit those in need. We are currently making stringed backpacks and handled bags for foster kids in the tri-community area. This is a new program to support Family First. They have asked our team to make items for foster kids. They also need blankets, stuffed toys, hygiene items like combs, socks, toothbrushes and paste, small shampoos, soap, and a few other items to include. Foster kids leave with nothing, and these bags give them a start in their new homes.
If you would like to share your creative skills, we encourage you to become a loving volunteer with Creative Giving. Send an email to either Dian Gowen at [email protected] or Linda Shannon-Hills at [email protected].
“For it is in giving that we receive”—St. Francis of Assisi