Photo By Sgt. Caitlin Wilkins | An Afghan evacuee marks her fabric with chalk before cutting it at Fort McCoy,...... read more read more
Subscribe
FORT McCOY, Wis. -- A second sewing center here opened for Afghan evacuees Nov. 1, 2021, providing more opportunities for evacuees to choose the patterns and styles for their clothing items.
The centers are run by volunteers from Catholic Charities, and have become so popular among Afghan evacuees, volunteers saw the need for a second sewing center.
“We had an overabundance of ladies who wanted to sew,” said Mari Guckenberger, a volunteer at the sewing center. “It’s also a pretty far distance between the north and south side of the camp. For them to trek down here it’s a pretty long walk, so we wanted something closer for them.”
What started as just a few sewing machines brought to one of the women and children’s centers, has now turned into a two-building operation with around 40 sewing machines, and countless yards of fabric and thread.
Jean Onsrud, a volunteer with Catholic Charities, explained how it all started with a handful of sewing machines the volunteers brought to the women and children’s centers. One sewing machine turned into two, and two machines turned into three. Things really picked up after another volunteer told her friends about it, and they immediately started a supply drive. Catholic Charities also received refurbished sewing machines and other supplies from Madison, Wisconsin.
The centers are open to both men and women, and while they don’t teach sewing classes, Afghan personnel have started teaching each other the basics.
“We want people to have the opportunity to learn and practice,” explained Guckenberger. “There’s three fabric cutters, and a couple women who are teaching others how to use the machines. So this is an opportunity for them to learn before they leave Fort McCoy.”
The new sewing center allows more Afghan evacuees to learn a skill, and can bring new opportunities after they leave Fort McCoy.
“Well, they can sew for people and bring in some income,” said Guckenberger. “I know there’s one gal that’s planning on that as a career to help her family back in Afghanistan. At least if they have access to a machine they can repair clothing for them and their family, and they can make clothes for other people.”
The center is open in the morning and afternoon, and offers a two and a half hour period for each person to sew. Afghan evacuees receive a ticket with their time slot from their block captain, and can come into the center and create an outfit of their choosing.
“They get an opportunity to be creative,” explained Onsrud. “They get the opportunity to create something they’re comfortable in, that is more traditional. They can make whatever they want, and then when they come back we feel like we can greet them like friends.”
| Date Taken: | 11.03.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 11.04.2021 11:03 |
| Story ID: | 408682 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 207 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, New Sewing Center Expands Opportunities for Afghan Evacuees, by SGT Caitlin Wilkins, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
