I wanted to give everyone an update on the ELK Studio – From the Heart Winter event!  I had a fabulous time with Tracy delivering our beautiful hats to Emory Winship Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.  I asked Tracy if she would be interested in telling her story of what it meant to her to join the event.  (Pictured from Left to Right) Kathy, DaVida and Tracy

“Back in Jan I turned 50, having spent the previous few months feeling down and overwhelmed I decided to treat myself to some ME TIME. That translated into making a trip to Yarnhouse in Opelika, Alabama to meet Kathy Lashley and other members of the ELK Studio group for an afternoon of crochet and chatting.

This was a fun-filled afternoon that was refreshing and energizing. During the course of the afternoon I shared with the group that my mother and my best friend were both battling cancer, and I was working to make hats for both infusion centers. Kathy offered to let me host the upcoming From the Heart event. I accepted. This turned out to be the best thing that I have done for myself in a long time.

Kathy posted the event and the hats began to show up at my house. After long days at work I would come home exhausted and defeated. I would check the mail and find packages from members of the group. My depression and anxiety melted away as I discovered gorgeous hand-made hats from members who were giving their time and talent to comfort people they would never meet. It renewed me and renewed my faith in people.

On Wed March 16, Kathy and I rode to Atlanta and delivered half of the 150 hats, scarfs and headwraps to Emory Winship where my mother is currently receiveing a stem cell transplant. We arrived unannounced and were received with a huge smile from DaVida Lee-Williams, the director of Guest and Volunteer Services. DaVida’s warm smile and caring spirit lifted my spirits and confirmed that I had made the right decision by accepting Kathy’s offer to allow me to host this event.

I want to thank everyone that made this possible. Your help with making hats for these two infusion centers helped me to achieve a goal that I would not have been able to accomplish alone.

I will be shipping the balance of the items to Wake Forest Baptist Hospital where Donna Browning Mitchell is receiving treatment. Donna and I have been best friends for 21 years, she is currently battling Ewings Sarcoma.”

I want to thank Tracy for helping me make this event so successful!  I hope you’ll join us for our next upcoming event.  Stay tuned for details soon!

Kathy