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Local project helps keep nursing home residents a little warmer |
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By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
A large group of Houston County residents are a little warmer this year thanks to the efforts of several Caledonia ladies. Every nursing home resident in the county was given a warm, cuddly lap throw during the Christmas season, courtesy of the local chapter of the Salvation Army.
“We always try to give something to the nursing home residents at Christmas, and sometimes at Easter,” explained Bonnie Goetzinger, of the Houston County Chapter of the Salvation Army. “Instead of giving some type of statue or stuffed bear, we decided several years ago to provide them with something they could use. So we purchased lap throws.” The only problem was the budget Goetzinger had to work with wasn’t large enough to enable them to buy lap throws for everyone.
So Goetzinger enlisted the help of Caledonia seamstress Grace Staggemeyer, and several other volunteers, and made 200 lap throws from scratch. There was enough money in the budget to purchase the material, which was cut out to the proper size, top-stitched and then the edges were finished on a special surger sewing machine by Staggemeyer.
According to Staggemeyer, the special machine seals the edges of the material so it won’t fray or unravel. It took Staggemeyer “a couple of days” to finish the edges of the 200 lap throws.
“Bonnie needed some help with this project, I had the machine to make the project go a lot faster, and it’s for a good cause,” Staggemeyer noted. Staggemeyer, who has been sewing most of her life, said she’ll tackle just about any sewing project. She does anything from creating elaborate wedding dresses, to putting new linings and zippers in coats.
“Our residents really appreciated the wonderful donation Bonnie, Grace, and the Salvation Army provided,” Caledonia Care and Rehab Administrator Lloyd Swalve noted. “The lap throws are something they will be able to use just about every day.”
Goetzinger said they made enough lap throws to provide one for every nursing home resident in the county, with a few to spare. The rest of the lap throws were donated to the Houston County Public Health Department.
You can contact Charlie Warner at
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