THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 28, 1995 TAG: 9504270145
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: PRIME TIME
SOURCE: Pam Starr
LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines
Every Tuesday, 13 women stand or sit for hours at a time behind long cafeteria tables, swiftly tracing patterns and cutting fabric.
Three of them hunch over sewing machines, glasses perched on their noses, and carefully move the material under the needles. At the end of the day, the finished products are meticulously sorted and wrapped for their final destination.
These women, members of the Sewing Circle of Bow Creek Presbyterian Church, have been providing the only free sewing service for the Retired Senior Volunteer Program. They'll make just about anything with a needle and thread.
Since 1990, the sewing circle has crocheted or sewn items for the American Cancer Society such as lap robes, walker bags, turbans and capes. They made ``busy aprons'' with pockets and gadgets for Alzheimer's patients who tend to fidget and need something to keep their fingers safely occupied.
Will Ashman, RSVP coordinator, said that he's happy to have the sewing circle because it's next to impossible to get people to sew.
``They are picking up on things that a lot of other places wouldn't do,'' he said. ``It's very helpful to our program to have a source when someone needs to have something sewn or needs assistance with sewing. This really helps a lot. The ladies are very willing and there's nothing they'll turn down.''
That was obvious from one look inside the church's fellowship hall where the women meet. Piles of colorful handmade goods were stacked on the tables - from crocheted baby booties and caps to dish towels and lap robes. Everything the women need for their work is donated - the sewing machines, fabric, binding, trim, laces, thread, etc.
Most of the women's time lately has been taken up with stuffed teddy bears. The sewing circle made more than 1,000 of the little, hand-painted bears last year using an informal assembly line of pattern tracers, fabric cutters, seamstresses and bear stuffers. The women, whose ages range from 53 to 76, talk and laugh while they create the animals. The lunch break always consists of Mexican food from Taco Bell.
``This is the best support group you'd ever have,'' said Dorothy McNicholas. ``It's the pleasure of getting together and doing something constructive.''
Eileen Swan, although only a member of the group for six months, said that she volunteers because it gives her a ``nice feeling.
``I like doing projects like this to make people happy,'' she said as she sat at a sewing machine. ``I think being active is important when you get older. It's a nice outlet.''
The completed bears are donated to local police, fire and rescue departments and are given to children in trauma situations, such as car accidents, said leader Jan Smith. On the back of each bear the phrase ``Jesus Loves You from Bow Creek Presbyterian Church,'' is handwritten by Mary Burrows.
The bears have gotten around. They've been spotted in hospitals, the Ronald McDonald House and even nursing homes.
``Mary saw a little boy get on the bus with one of our bears,'' said Smith. ``He said he had gotten it at Sentara Bayside Hospital.
``We started taking them to the nursing homes,'' she added. ``You should see their faces when they get the bears - they just light up.''
The women are always looking for more members to join their sewing circle and for more donations of fabric and accessories. You don't have to be a member of the church, nor a proficient seamstress. You just have to come with a willingness to work, said McNicholas.
``There's so much to be done,'' she said. ``You don't have to sit on a dead end and be lonely.'' MEMO: The Sewing Circle of Bow Creek Presbyterian Church meets every Tuesday
from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., 315 S. Rosemont Road. Call McNicholas at 340-5148
or Smith at 486-9714.
ILLUSTRATION: Photo by L. TODD SPENCER
Eva Zirkle, right, June Mitchell and Dorothy McNicholas are among
the women who have made more than 1,000 stuffed, hand-painted teddy
bears for children involved in traumatic situations.
SEWING CIRCLE
Members of the Bow Creek Presbyterian Church Sewing Circle are
Marjorie Bridges, Mary Burrows, Martha Glover, Kay Griffith, Virgie
Hartman, Dorothy McNicholas, June Mitchell, Lula Powers, Odessa
Richardson, Ann Rissell, Jan Smith, Barbara Storey, Eileen Swan and
Eva Zirkle.
by CNB