Keep Me In Stitches of Tampa, Fla., hosted a sewing event for ConKerr Cancer on Friday, March 14, 2014. This was the first time they conducted this event at their north store location.
Map created via Google Map by Karen León
Throughout the course of the day, volunteers came and were sewing pillowcases in a variety of colors and designs to be given to children in Tampa Bay area hospitals who have been diagnosed with cancer or other life changing illness or injury.
(Photo/ Karen León)
Nancy Evanoff of Tampa, Fla., said, “There are events where forty or fifty volunteers arrive, and other times maybe just a few would appear. Regardless of the turnout, it is always a success because the volunteers put their heart into every pillowcase they sew.”
(Photo/Karen León)
(Photo/Karen León)
The store is also one of many drop off locations for completed pillowcases, which are then washed, ironed, and packaged for delivery to children in several Tampa Bay Area hospitals.
Photo: Karen León
Melissa Helms, of Tampa, Fla., stated, “My daughter was diagnosed with kidney cancer at the age of nine weeks, so I completely understand and appreciate the motivation behind this event.”
Furthermore, “For the last 14 years that Keep Me In Stitches has been in business, we have always believed in supporting the community that supports us from fabric donations, to in-house projects, to creating quilts for hospitals and charities in need. We try to use our resources for a greater good,” emphasized Helms.
purchasing fabric to make pillowcases
(Photo/Karen León)
September is the national ConKerr Cancer campaign known as Miles of Pillowcase Smiles (MOPS), where all of the chapters attempt to complete “miles” of pillowcases (there are 2,112 pillowcases in a mile!). Bay Area events include sewing days at many Tampa Bay fabric and quilt shops, as well as sewing “marathons” which sometimes last from morning until night!
During September there are sewing events all overall over Tampa Bay, including in Winter Haven, Brandon, Tampa, Dade City, PlantCity, Sarasota, and Pinellas County. For more information or to get involved, visit www.conkerrtampabay.org or email Carol Deloney-Tampa Bay Coordinator at: [email protected].
