On most Friday mornings, several women arrive at the Christian County Extension Service on Pembroke Road and carry sewing machines from their cars into the building.
They spend three to four hours together stitching clothes and household goods. Some of their items will be donated to people in the community they probably will never meet — but they know something about the needs of the individuals they are helping.
Children living in foster care are receiving a few dozen quilts and pillow cases that members of the extension service sewing group donated Friday to Joy Closet, a Hopkinsville nonprofit that provides clothing, shoes and other needs to children in foster and kinship homes.
Using donated material in vibrant colors, the sewing group created quilts in patterns that included flowers, horses and toy cars.
“It’s a fellowship for us,” said Anita Cummins, the certified master clothing volunteer who leads the group.
Cummins trained through the University of Kentucky’s Cooperative Extension Service to earn her certification. Although she knew the basics of sewing prior to the training, UK gave her the tools to “up her professionalism,” she told Hoptown Chronicle.
The local sewing group is hoping individuals and groups will donate material and batting so they can make more quilts. Cash donations will be used to buy material, said Cummins.
Donations can be taken to the Christian County Extension Service, 2850 Pembroke Road. The phone number is 270-886-6328. The extension service will also provide information for anyone interested in joining the sewing group.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
