Making a difference with sewing

A group of ladies wanted to do something good for their community, so they reached out to the North Fort Myers Fire Department. They wanted to combine their love of sewing with their desire to help children in crisis.

The group of ladies who love sewing named their group “Busy Hands.” They keep themselves busy by spreading positivity.

When first responders encounter children on the job, it is most often during a traumatic event.

“Any kind of call where a child might be on a scene and be a little nervous, we’d like to give them just a little lovey just to kind of make them feel better and give them something to cuddle with,” said Christi Fulton, the Public Education Officer for the North Fort Myers Fire Department.

To help ease some of the anxiety, EMTs and firefighters were gifted dozens of handmade toys on Tuesday morning.

“They reached out to me and said, do you have a need? And we said most definitely. We do have a need,” Fulton said.

The ladies got to work, even going above and beyond.

“I said, how many do you need? And she said 20 and I said, OK, so we made her 40,” Julia Moore, a member of Busy Hands said.

The group of ladies meet every Tuesday morning, but this particular morning was extra special.

“These nice ladies made these, so they’re definitely made with love,” Fulton said.

The ladies were happy to take on the task.

“Just to bring a smile to a child who would otherwise be crying or in distress, you know, if they can just hand out something that’s gonna make a child happy and make them forget about what just happened? You know, that’s our goal,” Moore said.

The group has been meeting since early 2018. In the past, they’ve sewed all kinds of items for veterans, those fighting cancer and the elderly.

The busy hands group told WINK News that they are always looking for more people to join. All are invited! You just have to bring your enthusiasm and good cheer.

You can call the North Fort Myers Church of the Nazarene at 239-567-0150 if you are interested in joining the Busy Hands group.