CALDWELL, Texas — Girl Scouts in Burleson County are helping hospital patients.
The local troop and Burleson County Stitch & Design Club came together to hand stitch glove monsters as a way to bring comfort to patients.
Lauren Plachy, the Troop Leader and mom herself, said the partnership gave the Burleson County Girl Scouts the chance to learn how to hand stitch and assemble roughly 24 goodie bags.
“They had put all kinds of trinkets in there, like pop it bracelets, things just to keep the kids busy and I think they were putting word searches and coloring pages in there as well,” Plachy said.
She said her daughter loves brushing up on new skills and everyone enjoyed creating something for patients at the Houston Children's Hospital to feel special. She also said members of the club and their families have close connections to those receiving care.
“She’s learning to sew, and it was neat for her to use her skills for children in the hospital... We have a member, Laura Whitecross, who goes there as well as a member’s brother, Katherine Chilling, her brother, Conner. We like to partner with Texas Children and we delivered those to them,” she said.
For adults interested in learning or socializing with other stitchers, there is a group that meets in Caldwell.
The founder of Burleson Needleworkers, Cherisse Williamson, said there is also a donation closet they run for beginners or those on a budget to get involved with the hobby.
“It’s important for people to get out of the house because a lot of stitchers stay home a lot, as we get older especially, we take all ages of course, but that kind of the main reason it started,” Williamson said.
Despite the group only starting up in August of 2022, it’s rapidly expanding, which she says further benefits the mental health of all participants.
“It’s good for your mental acuity and your thought processes, a lot of counting with knitting and crocheting for sure,” she said.
You can join the Facebook Group for more details on their upcoming classes and meet ups. You can also find additional information on the Burleson County Girl Scouts here and the 4H Stitch and Design Club here.