LDS Relief Society in Seattle mounts mammoth sewing meet (Helping hands turn a good deed into many more)
Seattle WA Times 25Oct99 D1
By Sara Jean Green: Seattle Times Eastside bureau

More than 100 women in a stake relief society in eastern Seattle (Bothell and Woodinville), spent last Saturday turning a mountain of polar fleece into hats, booties, mittens and toys to be donated to both Seattle-area and internationally.

Instead the women, many bringing their own sewing machines, turned the material into hats for cancer patients, booties and mittens for babies and toys for Mexican orphans. The Relief Society will donate the finished goods to Seattle-area and international charities over the next few weeks.

Stake Relief Society President Caren Jensen expressed the group's feelings toward the donor, "He's been extremely generous and gave us all the material, thread and ribbing. I sure wish I knew who he was so I could thank him." The same donor has been giving the Relief Society remnants for three years. "A lot of this fleece would end up in a landfill. So, it's not only good for the environment but it's good for the soul," said Jensen.

Beneficiary charities include the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, which will get 135 hats for adults and children undergoing chemotherapy treatment; The Northshore Multi-Service Center, stuffed frogs, dinosaurs and blocks to distribute in Christmas boxes to needy children; The Mountlake Terrace Fire Department; Teddy bears to comfort children who have lost their homes; Medina Children's Service Center, a Seattle adoption agency, Baby booties, mittens and hats for the children of low-income and unwed mothers; and LDS Humanitarian Services will get quilts to be distributed to refugees in Kosovo, Taiwan and the sites of other disasters. In addition, stuffed basketballs and footballs will be sent to orphans in Mexico.

While the marathon session on Saturday was the largest and most visible effort, many of the women work throughout the year to provide these materials to all of the above agencies. "There's just a lot of enthusiasm for service among our women," said Jensen. "They get a great deal of pleasure from doing for others."