Making Ripples of Goodness

Once upon a time, in a peaceful and serene village, there was a beautiful pond surrounded by lush greenery. The villagers often visited the pond to find solace and tranquility. They believed that the pond had a mystical power that could reflect their inner emotions and offer clarity to their troubled minds.

One day, a young child named Lily came to the pond with her elder brother, James. They were fascinated by the stillness of the water and the sight of fish swimming beneath the surface. Lily, being a playful child, couldn’t resist the temptation to toss a small stone into the pond. As the stone broke the surface of the water, they witnessed a mesmerizing sight—the creation of ripples that expanded outward in all directions.

Amazed by the sight, Lily and James decided to watch the ripples carefully. To their astonishment, they noticed that the ripples didn’t just disappear; instead, they interacted with each other, creating new patterns. The ripples from one stone collided with those from another stone, merging and creating even larger waves. The small pond that once seemed so still was now a canvas of ever-expanding circles.

The story of the ripple effect serves as a powerful reminder that every action, no matter how small, can create a chain of reactions that profoundly impact others and the world we live in. Now, let us share the journey of two remarkable volunteers, Cindy and Bobbie, who are creating their own ripples of goodness.

Nearly a year ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Bobbie Newlin and Cindy Schorr at Sweet Pz Dezigns, one of our blanket drop-off locations in Gilbert. On September 25, 2022, they donated their first batch of blankets—a collection of 18 beautiful quilts.

Their journey began with the inheritance of a fabric stash, an embroidery machine, and a sewing machine from their dear friend, Milly Reader, who had passed away. Another ripple was added when their friend, Mary Nebel, contributed lovely lavender and flower prints to their fabric collection. Mimi McLarkin cleaned out her stash and gave them wonderful fabrics, resulting in more ripples. Even more goodness came from Pam Rackley (owner of Sweet Pz Designs), who generously donated most of the batting for the blankets. Determined to work solely from their stash and avoid purchasing new fabric, Bobbie and Cindy embraced the challenge, exploring various patterns, honing their skills, and creating stunning blankets for donation.

From triptych fabrics turned into three teen-size quilts to sweet embroidered pieces featuring Mickey, Pooh, and roses surrounded by charming log cabins, strip quilts, succulent panels, squares in squares, and triangle patterns—their blankets radiate love and warmth. Their work has continued, with 34 donated quilts in 2023 so far, with more in progress. The comfort, smiles, and snuggles that these blankets bring, continue to ripple through the lives of the children who receive them.

But their ripples of goodness didn’t end there. It grew into a wave as they crafted an astounding 2,000 stockings for the Warmth for Warriors project between March and July of 2022. Members of their Fiber Arts group knit wool hats for Warmth for Warriors; these hats are provided to deployed service members. They also knit hats for chemotherapy patients at the Phoenix VA hospital and for residents of the VA’s Community Living Center (nursing home).

Cindy has been knitting and spinning her own yarn for over 30 years. She also is an experienced quilter who challenges Bobbie to try new patterns and techniques. Bobbie began quilting about five years ago. She made her first quilt on a Featherweight. It was a special quilt to honor the memory of her daughter. Quilting allowed her to work through her grief and create cherished blankets for loved ones from her daughter’s shirts.

Both ladies enjoy fiber arts classes at their studio in Superstition Mountain Resort. They love having the space to be extra productive in the summer but kindly share the studio with winter visitors when they return.

Through the dedication of volunteers like Bobbie and Cindy, AZ Blankets 4 Kids is privileged to witness the power of kindness in transforming lives. May their inspiring journey encourage us all to make ripples of goodness in our own unique ways and make the world a better place for everyone.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.