The Handiwork Ministry Celebrates 10 Years of Service

March 26, 2010 - PRLog -- Featured speaker will be Sr. Karen Dietz, Pastoral Administrator of St. Agnes Faith Community. "Although the group is not denominational and no church affiliation is required to join or receive, we’ve met through the generosity of St. Agnes' congregation and staff  for ten years. We’re so fortunate to have their support and encouragement", said Ministry Coordinator Julie Flanagan "It's only natural we would want them to be represented at this event."
  When The Handiwork Ministry began to make items for charity, the eight local members had no idea where it would lead them.  Now fifty strong with another 250 “ long distance” members from the USA and other countries, they"ve served about 3,000 people in ten years. “This gives us a lot to be thankful for at this time" Flanagan continued.
  The group's founding members and other meeting site hosts will be recognized at the event for helping to form and support the vision that is The Handiwork Ministry today.
In addition to the newly developed concept of "long distance members", growth in Western New York has necessitated additional meeting sites including St. Mary's Church, Dansville; Monroe Community Hospital, Rochester; Episcopal SeniorLife
Communities at Brentland Woods, Henrietta; and St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Cohocton.    
  Members range in age from 11-94 years old and skills are beginner-advanced. Day and evening meetings allow volunteers to gather in a supportive atmosphere, while some members work only from home. Using donated supplies (new-left overs), items including hats, mittens, slippers, afghans, totebags, baby garments, and post surgical care items have been made for people in hospital, rehab, nursing, treament and recovery and family program settings.
  THM Volunteer Coordinator for the Monroe Community Hospital group, has been a member in Avon since 2000. "My role with THM has grown from someone who wanted to learn how to crochet a little better, to someone who is now helping others to share in a meaningful volunteer experience.", Katy Heneghan said.
  As the group moves into a second decade of service, they have answered a need voiced by several people who have been looking for this kind of volunteer effort for their own communities. A manual and support materials are now available. Amber Flanagan, Volunteer Coordinator from Cohocton, NY and the group's internet editor suggests, "To learn more about this opportunity, you can go to our website, (www.thehandiworkministry.vpweb.com). It  gives lots of background information about our work, and offers a monthly newsletter, tips and some patterns for our projects. It also tells about other ways than stitching that people can help.  And if you can't get out to meetings, you can help from home and keep up on what's going on through the website."
  Shirley Wildrick joined the Dansville group in Sept. 2008. She'd been looking for a way to bring people from her own church together to offer this kind of help to the needy and found THM's program was the answer. She brought her neighbor, Angel Woodworth to a meeting one night, and now the two women work together as co-corrdinators to guide this group. Along with Cohocton's volunteers, they hope to reach out to more people in southern Livingston and Steuben Counties.
  Julie Flanagan stressed, "The ministry's mission is simple. People with handiwork skills, or the desire to learn, and those who want to serve their communities, are brought together to do just that. We don't do fund raising or sell our items. And we never solicit money. We began this outreach believing God would give us what we needed to do this work. Keeping faith with that belief has worked for ten years and we don’t doubt it will keep us going for as long as God wants us to continue."
  Reservations for the buffet dinner by D & R Depot Restaurant,  and the evening’s program can be made by calling 585-300-6289 by April 20th.