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Hosted by Doña Ana County's Community Resource Centers, 13 quilt-making volunteers made and donated 70 quilts for children to Jardin de los Niños in October, the county said in a news release.
It all started with Frances Campbell, a retired teacher who still volunteers in Chaparral schools to teach children how to sew, the county said.
“I just fell in love with them,” Campbell said. “They are just so attentive and creative.”
Sandra Salinas, who manages the Vado/Del Cerro Community Center in Vado, asked Campbell to teach volunteers to sew at the center about 10 years ago. Soon, Campbell was teaching at the center in Chaparral plus three other community centers in Butterfield, Doña Ana and Vado /Del Cerro.
Fabric, scissors and even sewing machines donated by the community helped the classes grow and kept volunteers sewing. A couple of years ago, Francis, a member of Las Colcheras Quilt Guild, asked her student volunteers if they would help make quilts for children. Generally, each community center completed about 10 quilts, per year.
This year, the Chaparral volunteers delivered a whopping 70 quilts on their own, making the total number of quilts donated 100, more than doubling the customary donation, the news release said.
“They are so creative. I give them an idea and they change the color, add their own ideas and what comes out is just beautiful, Campbell said. “But this year, the wonderful ladies in Chaparral went all out.”
Sewing volunteers also made 100 dog bone pillows for cancer patients and are now working on pumpkin placemats to donate to children for Halloween and Thanksgiving.
"We are honored to support these caring volunteers who gave their time, talent and labor to provide warmth and comfort to children in our community," said county Health and Human Services Department (HHSD) Director Jamie Michael.
HHS Department offers sewing classes at community centers in Butterfield, Doña Ana, Chaparral and Vado/ Del Cerro.
For more information, call 575-248-0070 or 575-233-0946.
