Heartwarming stories about people thinking of others at holiday time are surfacing in the news. Today I want to share a story about some thoughtful youngsters who are at work right in our own community. Earlier this fall I met with Cindy Warner, with the Great Bend Recreation Commission, to plan some basic sewing skills classes. The first project was to teach class participants how to construct a pillow or quilt from T-shirts. Our project in October was to make a quilt from Relay for Life shirts donated in memory of Sister Lorena who was killed in a tragic accident five years ago.
 Many of the same youngsters enrolled for the Dec. 4 class where we constructed stocking caps and scarves from fleece donated by a number of quilt guild members. Cindy had pre-cut much of the fleece so when the girls arrived after school we could get right to work. Two participants had never sewn before but with the positive guidance from volunteer helpers the sewing machines started buzzing. Within an hour and a half our enthusiastic group of seamstresses had produced over twenty hats and nearly as many scarves. Knowing full well that they would be donating these accessories to United Way agencies, the girls took great pride in their accomplishments.
 I had the fun job of delivering the finished projects to the groups that will distribute the gifts. All were so impressed and appreciative of the number of fleece hats and scarves our group made. Thank you to all who helped make this project possible. First I want to thank everyone who donated pieces of fleece for the project. On the day of the class we appreciated the help of Eileen Huslig, Mary Lou Weiser and Kathy McGinnis. And thanks to the students signed up for the class, some local children will have a new hat or scarf under their Christmas tree this year. Watch for the winter Recreation Center guide for more beginning sewing opportunities for kids next March.
Donna Krug is the family and consumer science agent with K-State Research and Extension – Barton County. She can be reached at 620-793-1910 or dkrug@ksu.edu.