Wrapped Up in Sports, Inc. | Founder & President | Boston MA United States
My newly founded nonprofit organization touches children in medical, social and mental-health need in the Boston Community by providing comforting sports team-inspired quilts of the teams they root for every season.
Our "Kids-Helping-Kids" program, which we are striving to launch will provide free quilting classes for children in the inner-city community. These classes will teach children the basic techiques of sewing and quilting so that they may make quilts of their beloved Boston teams for other children in their community.
The goal of "Kids-Helping-Kids" is to inspire children to express themselves creatively through their love of sports and learning the trade of quilting. Through this program, we are teaching children to broaden their interests, learn social skills, and help other children within their community.
I have two places for which I feel a fondness or connection.
My most beloved place for which I feel a fondness or connection is the ballpark. I relish in the team spirit, the family bonding and the community gathering. The roar of the crowd sends chills up my spine. I love watching children stare in awe as they watch their favorite player up close and in person. To quote James Earl Jones from the movie "Field of Dreams", baseball to me "reminds us of all that once was good and it could be again."
My second place is sitting at my sewing machine. My mother inspired and taught me how to sew and quilt. Although time consuming and requiring a lot of patience, quilting distracts me from the stresses in my life, and requires me to focus my attention on what I am working on. When I am quilting, I feel good, because I know I am making something that will provide warmth, comfort and love to a child in need. I know I am making a difference in someone's life and providing a smile.
The trade of quilting is transitioning from domestic hobby to a form of art. I think that is a wonderful transition, because the trade can be embraced by all generations, not just the older generations. I want to spread the art of quilting to our younger generations to keep the trade alive.
Quilting is a very creative hobby and can be daunting. It teaches patience and accuracy. I think spreading the knowledge and teaching the trade of quilting to our younger generation - especially children in our inner-city communities - will create a positive change in our children.
Currently, our organization recruits volunteer quilters and quilt guilds throughout New England to make and donate charity quilts to our organization representing the Boston Red Sox, Celtics, Bruins and New England Patriots.
We have donated charity quilts to Childrens Hospital Boston and currently have 3 projects in the works that will benefit the Elizabeth Stone House, Horizons for Homeless Children and the Jimmy Fund.
