EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE: The Tight-Knit Group of Gals

LELAND, NC (WWAY) — Burrito Babies for children in the hospital, scarves for Veterans at the VA, Activity Aprons for folks with dementia….the list of things this group makes goes on and on and on. This week we focus on just one of their projects: Mats for the Homeless.
Our Extraordinary Person/People of the Week is the ‘Tight-Knit Group of Gals’.

“We have a common goal, service, and we feel like we’re all sisters,” Gwen Canady told Daniel Seamans.
Gwen is one of the ring leaders of a special group who gives back to the community in many ways. They are ‘one tight-knit group of gals’.

“Leaving the friends in Georgia that we’ve known forever was devastating,” Arvalee Green(who moved here without knowing too many people) said of the group, “this service group saved my sanity.”
The service group Arvalee speaks of is called the Relief Society. They meet up inside one of the rooms of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Leland. But that’s just where they meet each week.
“Our group is not made of just members of our church,” Gwen said. “Even though we meet here, we have all different faiths that work with us.”

Gwen is one crafty lady. Scarves, dresses, quilts…she and her community colleagues help everyone from folks too sick to be home, to those who have no home.
Enter their current project: ‘Mats for the Homeless.’
“The purpose of these mats is the homeless lay them on the ground and put their bedding on top of it,” Gwen said. “and it keeps them from getting wet.”

700 plastic bags and a whole lotta teamwork turns into one mat big enough for a grown man or woman to lay on.
“Somebody cuts, somebody folds, somebody loops, and then people crochet. Not everyone wants to crochet(group laughs), so those who want to, do, and some go ‘no way!'”

But it’s the way they help each other while helping the community that is somewhat heavenly.
“As you can see,” Arvalee said of the group, “they are open and friendly and it doesn’t matter what you say or do, you still get liked and it’s really been a Godsend to be able to work with a group that does something for somebody else.”

They are a melting pot of ‘good will’ rolled up into the definition of extraordinary.
Well done, ladies!
-Daniel

The Relief Society in Leland is always looking for donations.
Monetary, craftware like yarn, or even plastic bags for the mats.
Much of the projects involve hand made crafting so all those materials are always needed.

If you’d like to know more about this group or to donate, please contact Gwen Canady via email at angelbygwen@aol.com

Here are just a few upcoming projects by the Relief Society:
-No No Bands for Operation Smile
-Quilts for various people/organizations
-Knitted Knockers for women who have had mastectomies
-Aprons for Autism students
-Scarves for various people in need

If you know an extraordinary person, let me know about them via email: dseamans@wwaytv3.com