In the know.

When   Dress   A   Girl  was  introduced at The Crossings, there was so much excitement you could almost feel it. Did it remind us of dressing our own girls? Did it remind us of our mothers? Did it provide an   avenue to be useful, to give to someone else? Whatever it was, a large group of us, including some of our own daughters, gathered for a delightful day. Some sewed, some sorted, some cut, some ironed. There was something for everyone. Only one dress was complete but we knew this was what we wanted to do at The Crossings.

I bravely volunteered to be the organizer. It  seemed  this  was meant  to  be.  That  day,  our community donated fabric, ribbon, elastic, thread, etc.,  enough to not only  get  us  started  but  to  keep  us  going  with  some  materials  still  waiting to be used.  

I learned to sew at my mother’s knee, sewing buttons on a scrap as she was busy making my dresses. My own daughter and grandchildren were  dressed  in  some  “homemade”  clothing.  Now,  I  have  the  opportunity to do it again, along with about 20 others who meet each week for prep workshop and once a month to actually create a dress using the kits we prepared.  

What does this mean to us?  As we gather, we chatter– we fellowship.  We are doing something that will bring a big smile to little girls; that will warm their mothers’ hearts.  We have a path to help someone else.  There are memories of other days and someone who will listen as we tell the story. The community asks how we are doing. what do we need and how many dresses have been made.  The interest overflows.

Can you tell I’m excited? The results prove we’re on the right path.  We’ve completed 11 dresses, put together kits for 30 more dresses, have more uncut fabric waiting, and know the best part will come when the little girls receive a brand new dress!

Written by Judy Rountree, resident at The Crossings