Aileen Waters, Joanne Weber, Linda Shannon-Hills, and Shirley Lewis
Linda Shannon-Hills
When the Creative Giving of SaddleBrooke Ranch group found out Kids’ Closet could use handmade hats for the 1,800–plus kids they support with clothing sets, our Mad Hatters started sewing, crocheting, and knitting hats of all sizes to donate to SaddleBrooke Community Outreach (SBCO) Kids’ Closet program.
“Our group is so creative with the various projects we do,” says co-leaders Dian Gowen and Linda Shannon-Hills. “Aileen Waters came up with a couple different patterns for fleece hats and held a workshop to show a few of us how to make these fun hats.”
Aileen said, “The kids seem to like the fluorescent lime green and orange hats!” Aileen has made over a couple dozen of these fleece hats over the past year.
Many of our knitters and crocheters have also made hats for young kids and pre-teens as well. “I can crochet a hat or two in an evening while watching TV,” says Andrea Hopkins, a big contributor to our group.
Creative Giving has been the recipient of several grants from Thrivent Financial Services to purchase yarn and fleece fabric along with donations of materials from various residents at the Ranch to make hats for Kids’ Closet over the last couple of years.
Besides Kids’ Closet, Creative Giving supports over eight different charities and groups with items made by our members: Christ Child of Tucson, Family First in Oracle, Mending Souls in Tucson, Impact of Southern Arizona, Mountain Vista School in Oracle, SBCO, All Seasons Memory Care, Z Mansion, as well as residents at the Ranch.
If you would like to become a volunteer with Creative Giving to sew baby and other items, or crochet or knit blankets and caps, join our group during the workshop the first Wednesday morning of each month in the sewing room, located in the Creative Arts and Technology Center. We have made-up kits with fabric cut to take home and sew, if that is of interest to you.
Your body releases more “pleasure hormones,” or endorphins, when you volunteer to help others in need. It can lower stress, help your heart and immune system, and create calmness, pleasure, and connection.
For more information, send an email to [email protected]. View some of the items we make in the display case in the Creative Arts and Technology Center.