Club Expo
Linda Shannon-Hills and Dian Gowen—Creative Giving
Many residents at the Ranch are always making items for family and friends, but there comes a time when you have overwhelmed them with your creative items. Don’t give up on your creative side, join Creative Giving to make items for charities in the area. We are always welcoming volunteers to join our group to sew, knit, crochet, stuff toys, cut-out fabric for kits to make items at home, make sunshine and get-well cards, and so much more.
If this sounds like fun, we would like to invite you to join our group. For more details, send an email to [email protected].
Creative Giving started in September 2019 to make items for Mending Souls of Tucson. Since then, we have expanded our reach to include Christ Child Society, making items for foster babies, school string backpacks, items for Youth on their Own, and more. We also make items for Family First in Oracle that provides diapers for mothers and families in the area. We make baby blankets, bibs, burp cloths, and toys to include with the diapers. Last year, during Family First’s school summer drive event called Hot Diggity Dog, we made 150 zipper pencil bags for students. We also make handled bags that include a hygiene bag with supplies along with a blanket and a toy for foster kids.
Our group has made sundresses and teddy bears for IMPACT of Southern Arizona; knitted, crocheted, and sewn fleece hats for Kids Closet of SBCO; and made blankets, hearts, and small crocheted bears for Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep in Tucson. Adult shirt covers, walker/wheelchair bags, and fidget pads have been made for memory care centers.
We are incredibly proud of the donations to our residents living in the SaddleBrooke Ranch community who need medical support items. In 2024, we gave out 167 items to residents for their own use as well as sold items during the SBR ARTwalk or from our display window. The items we give out to our residents include heart-shaped pillows, rehab pillows, walker/wheelchair bags, seat belt cushions to protect port-lines, neck pocket scarves, dignity curtains to cover ostomy bags, chemo caps, adult shirt covers, and dementia fidget pads.
We meet on the first Wednesday morning of the month from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. in the Creative Arts and Technology Center sewing room, and again on the third Tuesday of the month in the same room from 3 until 5:30 p.m. Come when you can and stay as long as you can.
Besides the items for our residents, in 2024, our group made over 2,400 items for the various charities we support. We use the supplies from fabric and notions donations, sales of some of our items made by our volunteers, and monetary contributions to our group. If you would like to donate, send an email to [email protected].
Volunteering is good for the soul. It makes you feel like you are making a difference and adding a purpose in your life, while having fun and making friends.