Crafters help out women’s shelter

www.sahuaritasun.com

Good deeds continue to flow from the Crafting for a Cause group at Sahuarita’s Sonora by Del Webb neighborhood.

Members on March 9 hosted their second Ladies Night Out, with more than 100 women turning out at the Sonora clubhouse at Rancho Sahuarita for a business fair, fashion show, dinner and raffle.

All of the proceeds from the raffle — which featured a variety of gift baskets, jewelry, art works and more donated by local businesses and community members — are going to Genesis House, a local domestic violence/sexual assault shelter, says Penny Junke, who chaired the Ladies Night Out event along with Shirley Blough.

In addition, a large, colorful, handmade quilt assembled by Renee Scully and bound by Cathy Deuink was raffled off, with winners Don and Joy Ferris’ names drawn April 6 at the Sonora clubhouse. Those proceeds also will benefit Genesis House, which has provided more than 1,700 bed nights since it opened in May 2008, says its founder, Patti O’Berry.

The fashion show during Ladies Night Out featured clothing from DaZee’s, a high-end ladies’ resale boutique in Green Valley that benefits the shelter.

As a result of the raffles, Crafting for a Cause is donating $1,000 to Genesis House, which will use the funds to complete landscaping, install a sprinkler system, and plant a vegetable and fruit garden that will serve shelter residents, says O’Berry.

“Genesis House takes no state or federal funding and relies on the generosity and concern of the community to participate in the healing of victims of domestic violence and sexual assault,” O’Berry said.

Along with Junke, Blough, Scully and Deuink, other members of Crafting for a Cause who worked to make Ladies Night Out a success are Barbara Gilmore, Mary Lou Grieves, Joyce Labowitz, Barbara O’Connor, Carolyn Wilke, Ria Manse, Joanne Gallager, Kathy Larson, Rebecca Alcorn, Elizabeth Herzig, Shari Knudsen, Judy Cummings, Sherry Blum and Ann Fury.

“The members of our group do everything for the purpose of helping the people in our community who are in need. We all have a heart for helping people,” Junke said.

Among the organizations Crafting for a Cause has aided in the past two years are Genesis House, the Animal League of Green Valley, Paws Patrol, Arizona Children’s Association, the Community Food Bank of Green Valley, Sopori School, Casa de Esperanza’s senior day program and the Linus Blanket Project.

In addition, Junke says, the crafters have made Thanksgiving food baskets, collected supplies for area schools, provided more than two dozen needy children with Christmas presents, made blankets for children in area hospitals, and are currently recycling Capri Sun containers into school bags and pencils cases for local students.

“We are definitely women with a purpose,” Junke says. “Our message is: if everyone would just give a little time and effort to helping people in need in their own individual communities, what a difference it would make.”

Making a Difference features folks who help make Sahuarita a great place to live. To recommend someone for this weekly series, call Karen Walenga at 547-9739, e-mail to kwalenga@gvnews.com or FAX to 625-1603. Making a Difference features folks who help make Sahuarita a great place to live. To recommend someone for this weekly series, call Karen Walenga at 547-9739, e-mail to kwalenga@gvnews.com or FAX to 625-1603.