April 12, 2012 | It’s not every day your efforts are recognized by the White House, but the ladies of the Sew ‘N’ Sew Club were in stitches when they received a letter from First Lady Michelle Obama on official White House stationery earlier this year.
In a letter dated March 9, 2012, the First Lady commended the Sew ‘N’ Sew ladies for their work supporting members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families through their donations to Airmen’s Attic at Luke Air Force Base.
“Our service members, veterans, and their families are some of the strongest and most talented individuals in our country, and each day I am inspired by stories like yours,” she wrote in the letter.
Airmen’s Attic is a store affiliated with Luke that assists families of entry and lower rank airmen by providing needed items at no cost. Sew ‘N’ Sew members have supported Airmen’s Attic since 1999 by sewing children’s clothing for the store.
The First Lady’s letter was in response to a letter the club sent her describing their efforts and support.
“It was quite impressive to receive a letter from the First Lady,” said Regina Park, a Sew ‘N’ Sew publicity chair. “She and Dr. Biden are trying to keep the face of our military families current in a time when they need and deserve our respect and help.”
Supporting Airmen’s Attic is a no-brainer for the club, Park said.
“Airmen’s Attic is a cause that the majority of our members can relate to on either a personal level or just the proximity to the base,” she said. “We do what we can to make their family lives a little easier by providing clothing for their little ones.”
The club hosts an annual two-day “sew-in” event and last year’s theme was “Blankets and Clothes for Infants,” where Sew ‘N’ Sew members were joined by ladies from the Creative Quilters in sewing clothing and blankets for infants. At the sew-in, the ladies made 675 items, but ended the year 2011 having made more than 1,300 items. This year’s Sew-In, which had a focus of newborn babies, yielded 317 completed items including swaddling blankets, receiving blankets, burp pads, bottle holder bibs and standard bibs.
“Sew ‘N’ Sew is more than a club,” Park said. “It is a sisterhood of women with like ideas and values. We sew because we love it – we give because we are blessed.”
