THE VILLAGES, Fla. – If you’re one of those people who love sewing, knitting, or crocheting but you’ve run out of people to make things for, there’s a group in The Villages that is right for you.
Twice a month the Abundance Of Love sewing group meets to socialize and get to work on their projects.
Founder, Jen Smith leads a group at the Big Cypress Pool & Recreation Center.
“We’re a very social group. We eat cookies and drink coffee and we settle in and everybody brings what they’re working on,” Smith said. “Some people are making blankets. Some people are making shawls. We do a lot of breast cancer items. We crochet, knit, and loom for the less fortunate.”
Last year Abundance Of Love donated 23,029 items. The pieces went to hospitals, schools, churches, and hospice care facilities.
“The part of my job that I love is going out into the community and talking to the people that receive our items,” Smith said. “They are so grateful. You give a homeless person a pair of mittens and a blanket they are very, very grateful.”
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Smith singled out Nancy Still as a volunteer who is getting results. Still has taken over organizing the “medical doll” project. The dolls are used to help doctors and nurses explain procedures to their young patients.
It takes a number of volunteers to help build all the elements to create a doll, but Still puts her touch on every one.
“They are all perfect when they go out,” Smith said. “She’s handled each one of them and sometimes if it’s not quite right, she’ll undo what’s done and redo it,” Smith said with a laugh.
Still sat at a table talking with friends. Her hands weaved a needle through the hair made of brown yarn.
“A lot of people just want to do one part of the doll,” Still said. “There are some people that don’t sew so they’ll stuff the dolls. And then there are others who just want to sew and not bother with stuffing. Some people just make the hair. People contribute in many different ways.”
Last year Still delivered more than 1000 to children’s hospitals.
Still said people have different craft interests, but they’ve found common ground in helping others.
“When you’re doing charity work, I think everyone finds it gratifying,” Still said. “It’s not only great for the charities that we give to but for us, it gives us a sense of purpose, actually doing something.”
If you would like to volunteer or donate materials go to tvabundanceoflove.com for more information.
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