CCL hosts 11th annual Sew-a-thon
Saturday, October 26, was a busy day at the Colby Community Library (CCL), as the Friends of the Colby Community Library hosted the 11th annual Maddie Thums Memorial Sew-a-thon along with Make-a-Difference Day (MADD) 2024.
Madelyne (Maddie) Thums of Curtiss was a registered nurse in the Birthing Center at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield. When she retired, she began volunteering at the Colby Public Library. She passed in March of 2013, and the following year in March 2014, the first “Maddie Day” was held in her honor. Service-minded people, from Colby and the surrounding areas, gathered for a sew-a-thon to create items to donate to St. Joseph’s Hospital for the birth/neonatal center and pediatric department.
Each year, the gathering grew in scope. Items (such as courage capes and taggy blankets) were always sewn for the hospital babies and children but other groups also benefited. Quilts were stitched for the veterans at the King Home in Waupaca, sweatshirts were sewn into dog beds for the Clark County Humane Society, fleece blankets were tied for domestic abuse shelters, hats and turbans were knit and crocheted for the American Cancer Society, and lap quilts were created for assisted living and nursing homes. Some years, 200-300 items were donated; other years, over 1000 items were given, depending upon the complexity of the projects. The event even continued during the COVID19 shutdowns with “Take and Make” bags for people to sew at home.
This year’s Maddie projects included 345 flannel ice bag covers, procedure doll gowns, and developmental hearts to be donated to the Marshfield Medical Center (MMC). A total of 68 bibs, burp cloths, and pillowcases were also sewn for the CCL to use in the “Welcome New Baby” bags and as 1000 Books Before the End of Kindergarten incentives.
Vicky Calmes, CCL director, consults with Volunteer Services at the Marshfield Medical Center each year to determine the most critical needs for hospitalized children. Then, the CCL’s programs for children are assessed to see what could be sewn by volunteers. Make-a-Difference Day may include sewn projects, but also involves a “collection” project for those wanting to contribute to the community but not having sewing/knitting/crocheting skills.
The MADD 2024 project was to collect bedding items for Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP)-Spencer Chapter. People could purchase and donate new twin-sized sheets, comforters, fleece blankets, pillows, and mattress pads. They could also sew homemade quilts and pillowcases. Once again, people’s generosity shone through with 133 bedding items delivered to SHP after the event, including 40 quilts. It is interesting to note that while the crew was busy sewing at the CCL, the 640th SHP bed was being delivered to a needy child in our area.
Thirty-two people were on-site on October 26 and enjoyed a soup, sandwich, and salad lunch. Making quilts or donating bedding to SHP were another 60 generous people.
Thrivent Action Teams, Friends of the CCL, Ron Thums, and Creative Hideaway in Dorchester helped financially support the project. T he first event in 2014 was co-chaired by Vickie LaVenture and Calmes. This year, Ailene Loertscher assisted Calmes in the planning.
“After the ‘Big 10’ last year (ten different sewing projects to commemorate the 10th annual sew-a-thon), I was thinking of retiring the idea. Then, the hospital’s needs for children this year couldn’t be refused, and the “No kid sleeps on the floor in our town” mission statement for SHP is quite compelling to help them out. So, the 11th annual event was planned.
The CCL is a very service-oriented library. Because so many people help the library throughout the year, it is good to pay that kindness forward. Events like Maddie Day and MADD provide an outlet for people to use their skills to benefit the community, this year with 546 items to help children,” said Calmes.
A MOUNTAIN OF DONATIONS - Vicky Calmes and Joleen Schade stand in front of the generous gifts of area donors for Sleep in Heavenly Peace-Spencer Chapter. The CCL collected 133 bedding items for the non-profit organization as part of their Make-a-Difference Day and annual Sew-a-thon.
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