Each month, Bordentown’s Stony Brook Sew and Vac location hosts a “Sit and Sew” gathering event for local sewers to enjoy the crafting activity together, but the store also utilizes this meetup for a charitable cause too in precedence of the holiday season.
For the past eight years, the co-owner of the storefront on Route 130, Elizabeth Anderson, has collaborated with the “Stockings for Soldiers” program effort, founded by Judy Travis, to send personalized holiday greeting stockings to U.S. military service men and women half-way around the world.
“Sewing is a nice community activity where everyone can pitch in and help,” said Anderson. “It has always been a passion of mine, so when we can find projects like this where we can give back, I can instantly call people I know who are sewers – and they know other sewers, and I’ll have people here to help.”
On Oct. 14, sewers in the community were welcomed to join the event in order to prepare, craft and design personalized stockings as well as filling them up with gifted items like candy, toiletries, books and small-packaged meals for active military members.
Surrounded by spools of fabric, thread and an assortment of decorative materials, the clicking of sewing machines filled the room as Anderson and her team of sewers worked together to help achieve the country-wide mission’s goal of 10,000 stockings this year.
“We feel this is a really good cause. As sewers, we are giving people,” Anderson added. “Sewers are a family that have the same mindset. It’s a talent you can use to help people, and we just love giving back.”
Among Anderson’s “family of sewers” at the event was Ginger Barlow, an avid sewer for more than 40 years, and a contributing member to the event for the past four years. Barlow mentioned that both her grandfathers and father served in the Air Force, and currently has a niece serving in the Navy.
With multiple veteran and active relatives in the service, this event holds special meaning to Barlow.
“I have a lot of military in my family, so I feel like it’s a really nice thing to do and give back,” said Barlow. “You’re using a talent that you have to make something for other people.”
Although not every person in attendance was related to a past or active military member like Linda DiPasquale, a second-year participant at the event, she felt that the mission’s efforts give a sense of connection and compassion to service men and women overseas at an important time of the year.
“It’s like you’re giving something to somebody that doesn’t have their family with them at the holidays,” said DiPasquale. “It shows that people care about them all over the world.”
For anyone in the community interested in contributing to Stockings for Soldiers, visit www.stockingsforsoldiers.org or email Judy Travis at Jamt1@aol.com for more info.
