Community Sewing Club

Published: 2022
By Claudia Andrade

With hundreds of youth currently enrolled in after school programs, Lake County MSU Extension has built relations with local Boys and Girls Club staff to coordinate regular sewing experiences for youth attending the Polson Boys and Girls Club. With four adult volunteers, leaders have provided more than 240 hours of in-person sewing instructional time for youth ages 5-14. Youth sign up to attend sewing lessons and often want to return week after week. Projects are simple and include personal care bags, pillows, small blankets, scrunchies, hats and other miscellaneous items youth request. However, while seemingly simple, completing these projects generates feelings of accomplishment, pride, and generosity within youth. A returning youth member requested to sew another hat, after being asked what happened to the previous hat they made. The member stated, “We don’t have a lot of stuff at home, so I gave it to my baby sister and now I want to make another for my other sister and maybe my mom and dad too.” Another youth stated, “This is so cool, I want to do this every day… why can’t you come every day?” Comments such as these validate volunteer efforts to spend time developing skills with youth, skills that will last a lifetime and that they can share with others in their lives.