17 Jun Mirasol Residents Give Back! (The Pillowcase Dress Project)
Residents at Mirsol have always had a strong group of volunteers who work on a multitude of projects to support many different causes. Their latest endevor is called Dress A Girl Around The World – often referred to as The Pillowcase Dress Project – is a program whose objective is to provide pretty dresses to impoverished girls in emerging countries. This simple idea consists of transforming pillowcases or fabric, with a bit of cutting and stitching, into attractive, colorful pinafore-style dresses.
Our local contact, Carolyn Griebe, came to Mirasol in early May to describe the project in more detail to an interested group of residents. She spoke about the work being done by her associates in one particular area of Uganda. This group has built a school, a kitchen providing hundreds of meals daily and they provide seed money for women’s small businesses and raise funds in the U.S. for water-well drilling in Uganda. Carolyn’s video showing delighted girls wearing their new dresses was heartwarming.
With that, Mirasol residents swung into action. Pillowcases, donated fabrics, bias tape and elastic were measured and cut, pockets were cut and pressed, and then all the components were packaged into kits for the seamstresses to take home and sew. As the finished dresses have been returned, the sense of accomplishment and cooperation among participants has grown.
As an added gift, each girl will find panties and a rag doll in the pockets of her dress. Thus was begun the “Undie Fund” table at the recent garage sale. The proceeds of the sales at that table (over $100) will go a long way in providing underwear for the girls.
A big thank you goes to all who have participated in so many ways on this project – donating fabrics, pillowcases, trims, bias tape, elastic; ironing, cutting, pinning, measuring, sewing – the generosity of all is wonderful to see.
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