Grape Creek Extension and Community Association Sew Up Some Love

Who doesn’t love a Teddy Bear? The members of the Grape Creek Extension and Community Association demonstrated this in a big way with their Victory Junction Bears. The Victory Junction Gang Camp is a camp for terminally ill, and chronically ill children located in Randleman, NC. The camp was created in the memory of Adam Petty, teenage son of Kyle Petty. Adam was killed in a racing practice accident in 2000. The Victory Junction Gang Camp is open year –round for campers. When the campers arrive at VJGC, they receive a hand made Teddy Bear. The bears must be made using black and white checkered fabric. Cherokee County Victory Junction Bears are certainly well represented since the Grape Creek members assembled over eighty bears for the campers.
The teddy bear committee worked tirelessly cutting, sewing, and stuffing the Victory Junction Teddy Bears. The rest of the club was very supportive and assisted in the efforts to complete the bears and deliver them to the camp located in Randleman, NC. Since part of the Grape Creek ECA mission is volunteer work, what better way to show the great spirit of Grape Creek volunteerism than the labor of love involved with the Victory Junction teddy bear project.

Photo 1 – Teddy Bear Committee
Left to right:
Robin Johnson, Ann Mingus, Sue Rhodes, Jan Rose, Madelyn Rose, Joyce Pastore, Carolyn Willer

Photo 2 – Grape Creek Members
Left to right:
Front row: Glenda Sneed, Neva Jean Whitener, Madelyn Rose, Francis Fisher, Glenda Sanders, Vera Bond, Clydie Rogers
Back row: Ethel Fisher, Joyce Pastore, Jan Rose, Carolyn Willer, Jane Kidd, Della Johnson, Jenny Keith, Ann Mingus, Helen Dockery, Shirley Whitener, Sue Rhodes, Robin Johnson.

Photo 3 – Sue Rhodes
Photo 4 – Robin Johnson

Preparing for 4-H District Activity Day

There’s nothing that quite compares to a project completed. At the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year two students met with me each day after school to learn basic sewing skills. Leah Wood, fifteen and Alyssa Marescalco, thirteen consequently applied these skills to a presentation to be used at the North Carolina 4-H District Activity Day that was held on June 23rd in Cullowhee. Leah decided to focus her presentation on “The Shock Factor of Fashion.” Alyssa took a different approach by researching the history of brocade and damask fabrics both woven on the Jacquard loom. Leah and Alyssa both learned many sewing techniques including how to operate a different type of sewing machine, the serger. Leah fashioned her dress of emerald green satin after one that was worn in the movie musical “Burlesque.” Alyssa decided to construct a garment that would have been typically made from brocade. Her Shakespearean period costume featured a soft white under dress layered with a brocade over dress. The dark teal over dress was trimmed with silver. The bodice and the sleeves of Alyssa’s dress both featured silver lace ups. The girls have been working on their presentations since they completed the actual costumes that will be worn to illustrate their individual topics. Hopefully the girls will take the skills that they learned this year and apply them to a project for the 2012 District Activity Day.

Pictured: Alyssa Marescalco

Teresa's Purple Peppers

Purple. Purple, and more Purple! My purple plot has started producing. I have harvested purple eggplant, purple peppers, purple Brussel sprouts, and even purple green beans! The purple green beans are so tender and without any strings. It is so fascinating to watch them cook-they go from deep purple to green! The best part is that you know that you are getting antioxidants from the purple phytochemicals. Keep watching the blog as more purple is harvested!

Vickie Dumford and Her Sewing Skills

Vickie Dumford is the master of recycling using her sewing skills. She recently purchased curtains that simply did not give her the desired effect that she was after. In true Scarlet O’Hara style, Vickie took those curtains and made a lovely mandarin styled dress. She learned the new skills of applying a zipper and a mandarin style collar. Vickie is a great student who is eager to learn more sewing skills in the “Sewing and So-On” program that is scheduled to begin July 11th at the Agriculture Learning Center in Murphy, NC.