“Crafts & Companionship” Fills Need in Newfolden

Participants in the “Crafts & Companionship” Program at Newfolden, Minn. show the quilt they are raffling off. Tickets are $1.00 each and may be purchased at the Newfolden Center.

Daniel O’Donnell songs played in the background as ten or so people (mostly women) busied themselves at tables in the Newfolden Center.

Darcy Hestekind (a licensed practical nurse and program director for Tri-Community Living at Home Block Nurse Program) and Leola Engelsrud (program assistant) warmly welcomed this reporter and offered information about “Crafts & Companionship” and its part in the Tri-County Living at Home Block Nursing Program.

According to Darcy, “Crafts & Companionship” provides an “opportunity for people to be doing projects and having companionship.”

“We all know how important socializing is to remaining healthy,” stated Leola.

“Being creative is so good for our health. This fits our mission in that way,” added Darcy, who also noted that both seniors and non-seniors are welcome to attend.

“At Christmastime, this case was packed with stuff they made,” said Leola, as she pointed out items on shelves behind glass doors. These items are ones the program’s participants sell and included embroidered dishtowels, scrubbies, beaded bracelets, decorative toilet paper covers and more.

They like to use free materials in the things they make – Darcy and Leola showed wind spinners participants made from empty pop and water bottles as an example.

“This quilt top was donated to us,” said Leola as she showed a “Crazy Quilt,” with featherstitching.

Darcy explained that the quilt top had been “rescued” after it was found in an attic and was going to be discarded.

Marilyn Gray, one of the program’s participants, had completed the filling, backing, border and tied it. The group plans to raffle it off.

Read the complete article in the February 20 issue of the North Star News.