Linda Shannon-Hills and Dian Gowen
The SBR Mending Souls group just celebrated their one-year anniversary as a SaddleBrooke Ranch group. We make charitable items to take to the Mending Souls headquarters in Tucson. They distribute items needed by various hospitals, foster care, schools, veterans’ groups, women’s shelters, and many other groups.
Dian Gowen and Linda Shannon-Hills are co-chairs of the SBR group, but the real heroes are our volunteers who sew, iron, cut patterns, stuff items, hand sew, and so much more. We have more than 65 active members who come to workshops or check out kits to take home to finish.
From September 2021 until the end of December 2021, we made 968 items, and from January 2022 until September 2022, we made 1820 items. The list of items made ranges from baby bibs, burp cloths, hats, blankets, and various toys. We also make rehab pillows for veterans and hospital patients, a heart pillow for those having breast or heart surgeries, dignity items, neck pillows, bereavement items, and more. The star of the items made are the safety teddy bears. So many adorable bears are given to children by police in domestic calls or by fire members when fires occur. Social workers also give out these bears. We have more than 40 different projects we can make for charities.
SBR Mending Souls meets on the first Wednesday of every month, to work together to cut, sew, serge, and stuff. You don’t have to be a seamstress to participate during our work sessions. Besides getting so much done, we have fun together, building friendships while making items for those in need. Several of our members have commented on the warmth it brings them to help others with something they love to do.
We invite anyone who would like to participate in this worthy group, making a difference to others in need.
The Mending Souls team said they are beyond proud to showcase sewing guilds like SaddleBrooke Ranch Mending Souls—they are a model for other branches worldwide. Dian and Linda are very proud of the quality work from our volunteers.
If you would like to join the SBR Mending Souls team, contact Dian Gowen at [email protected] or Linda Shannon-Hills at [email protected].
It feels so good to help others in need.