September is national sewing month and the girls at Eckerd Connects E-Nini-Hassee are studying the arts during this current learning module. In the past, the girls have sewed monster dolls as part of their curriculum. In researching the benefits of sewing I came across an article by Teresa Giltner from www.mtneedleworks.com. Here are the five benefits she mentions: 1) it is a form of meditation helping focus, 2) it is a natural anti-depressant releasing dopamine, 3) it helps the brain with neuroplasticity, 4) studies have shown that it helps lower blood pressure, and 5) it provides a sense of accomplishment in the form of a finished project. You can read more about these benefits in her article at this link.
At E-Nini-Hassee the therapeutic and education staff members work together to produce activities that are both empowering and help the girls deal with anxiety in a positive way. Due to all these benefits, it is easy to see how sewing fits as an activity that helps work on mood and self-soothing at camp. When I talk to the current girls or alumnae about the monster dolls, you can see how proud they are of their accomplishment. Each doll is unique and creating them allows the girls to express themselves in a positive way.
At some of the past fundraising events we have sold some of the monster dolls in our craft booth. They are always a very popular item and I see the alumnae buying them up because they are not only adorable but a wonderful memory of their time here at camp. If you are close to our area on October 24th, we would love for you to join us for our Annual Spaghetti Dinner and visit our craft booth in person. Tickets are available at www.eckerd.org/pastadinner. There will be wonderful craft projects available for sale and a great first-hand view of E-Nini-Hasee.
-Raquel
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