Woman's Club sews Christmas stockings

The Plains Woman's Club once again took to their sewing skills in an effort to help make a brighter Christmas for Sanders County children.

Eight members of the club gathered at the United Methodist Church in Plains to sew Christmas stockings for the Sanders County Coalition For Families (SCCFF) after their club meeting on Friday afternoon. The volunteers included Shirley King, Deb Cleveland, Donna Maughlin, Janet Brandon, Linda Zirelli, LeeAnn Hafner, Samantha Bebb and Julie Thomas. Not all stayed, but some took materials home to make the 19-inch long Christmas stockings in a variety of colors, patterns and holiday themes.

"They do an amazing job," said Joy Vold, an advocate with SCCFF who helps distribute the stockings. SCCFF is a nonprofit organization based in Thompson Falls that works with victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse. The stockings are part of SCCFF's Christmas Adopt-A-Family program, which the organization has done for around 25 years. The Plains Woman's Club has been making the Christmas stockings for SCCFF for nearly a dozen years.

The Plains Woman's Club ladies spent about an hour and a half making the 27 stockings. They set up an assembly line at the church to create their works of art. Hafner said she did most of the ironing. She said the Thompson Falls Woman's Club will fill the stockings with goodies.

"It's a good cause and we do it every year," said King, the most senior club member present Friday. "That's what the Woman's Club does. It's a community service," she said. It was the first time for Bebb of Plains and Thomas, who lives near St. Regis, to participate in the program. Both joined the club last week at the club's 100th year anniversary party in Paradise.

The stockings have a front and back and some type of lace or ribbon decoration at the top, said Hafner. "What they do gives the kids a chance of a normal Christmas," said Vold.

"They did a really nice job and the stockings were bright and cheery. We had quite a selection of Christmas material," said Hafner, who added that they had Santas, angels, snowflakes, holly and lots of snowmen. Hafner said she enjoys doing the stockings. She's been a participant for about eight years.

Bebb also noted that the stockings will help make a better Christmas for those kids having domestic issues. "It also makes for a better Christmas for the parents," said Bebb, "because there's nothing worse as a parent than seeing your kids waking up Christmas morning when there's nothing under the tree."