News

The Living Well Craft Class at Bridges Gives Back!

January 18, 2011

For the second year in a row the Living Well Craft Class at Bridges took part in the “Christmas Stocking Project.” The stocking project began last year when the students were learning how to make quilts, and their first assignment was a Christmas stocking. As Coleen Turner, board member at Bridges and Craft Class participant explains, “we decided to make more stockings, fill them up and donate them to charity.” The group chose to help the homeless in Nashville, and so they donated their stockings to Safe Haven Family Shelter, which provides shelter and transitional services to middle Tennessee homeless families and their children.

This year, the class made twenty-one stockings and cosmetic bags, and Bridges’s interpreters also crocheted scarves for the Safe Haven. The Christmas stockings were made from donated fabric, Christmas sweatshirts, and infant outfits, and filled with stocking stuffers that were donated by members from the Nashville Hearing Loss Association of America (Chapter 5), ASL interpreters from Hillsboro High School, and Craft Class members. Other items provided included hats, gloves, socks, lotion, soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes, toiletries, nail polish, jewelry, cards, games, toys, books, stuffed animals and candy.

Even though the Craft Class wasn’t able to meet most of the families that received their stockings, they know their donations made a difference. After the Safe Haven families came back to the shelter for the night, the stockings were given out by employees and the Craft Class was recognized for their hard work and generosity. Their thoughtful gifts helped make the Safe Haven families feel more at home over the holidays, and brought a little Christmas cheer during a difficult time.

The Living Well program at Bridges strives to address all facets of wellness.  The Craft Class provides both social and recreational activities for participants, and meets Wednesdays from 10 am to 12 noon at Bridges main office in downtown Nashville. For more information on the Craft Class or other Living Well activities, please contact Donice Kaufman, 615-248-8828 (V/TTY),  615-290-5147 (VP) or by email at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).