The Pocket Pillowcase Club will hold a demonstration and sale Friday morning at the Chula Vista Recreation Center from 9-11 a.m.
The purpose of the club is to make dresses and britches for little children to be delivered by Dr. Glenn Geelhoed, founder of Mission to Heal, as he travels the world performing surgery in remote locations on the neediest of the poor. Geelhoed has taken medical mission trips to points all over the globe for more than 40 years.
Charlotte Rupakus said the idea for the demonstration and sale came about to increase exposure of the club. The group was gifted some material and they have made Christmas dresses in sizes 6 months to 6 years of age. All of the dresses are $10 and include the same ribbon trim that has become the trademark of the those sent around the world.
“The dresses are great gifts for grandchildren and the purchase helps a worthy cause,” Rupakus said. “We hope people will come out and see the amazing items produced by this club as we try to dress one child at a time throughout the world.”
All of the proceeds from the sale of the dresses and britches will be donated to Mission to Heal.
The Pocket Pillowcase Club, formed five years ago by Kathy Ingraham with assistance from Rupakus, meets twice a month to take care of business and parcel out the donated material, sheets and pillowcases used for the children’s clothes. The members then do their sewing at home.
The core group of about 15 members make more than 100 dresses each month. All of the material for the children’s clothes is donated. And the boy’s britches are made out of T-shirts and golf shirts.
“The Villages has been great to us,” Rupakas said. “When they have left over T-shirts from the kids’ summer camp, they donate them to us. There are little boys all over the world running around in britches made from Villages T-shirts.”
Geelhoed has traveled around the world and distributed the clothes in such places as Africa, South America and the Philippines. And in addition to the dresses and britches, the Pocket Pillowcase Club has donated $18,000 to Mission to Heal.
Geelhoed will be in The Villages speaking at La Hacienda Recreation Center on Wednesday at 11 a.m. The talk is open to all Villagers.
If you are interested in finding out more about the Pocket Pillowcase Club or have some linen or material to donate, call Ingraham at (352) 653-0286.
