A Sum > Each Part
Using their gifts and passions to make each kid feel special and loved.
Baskets filled. Hearts filled.
Shawna Bagwell, Kerin Wright & Susie Vaughan.
Several years ago, noting many of the kids who come to live at Amarillo Children’s Home bring little more than the clothes on their back, a board member had the idea to bless the kids with a gift basket upon their arrival. We have always filled their clothing needs with donated items. However, this gift serves to welcome the child to ACH, to sweeten this difficult time and to give the child a few things to call their own
A stuffed animal. A soft blanket. Crayons or pens. A small toy. A Bible. A fluffy, new towel. A homemade journal.
Volunteers Shawna Bagwell and Karin Wright place donated items together with a journal they make into a welcome basket to be given to each child who arrives at ACH. “You don’t get to see the effect it has,” Shawna stated, “but you do get a glimpse – a few months ago, one of the kids got an elephant, and the house dog chewed the arms off. They said, ‘She can’t sleep without it – can you fix it?’ I said, ‘I’ve never done that, but I can sure try!’ There I was trying to build arms for this elephant… We got it done!”
“You hope it brings some joy to the kids when they come – that it makes them happy, even if for just a minute.”
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About five years ago, Susie Vaughan started monogramming uniforms for her husband’s business. Two years ago, watching a youtube video about it, she decided to give quilting a try. “I love it! I’ve always liked puzzles – just cut up pieces of fabric, put them together and get a quilt!”
A long-time donor with her husband, Pete, Susie Vaughan decided to make a quilt for each child at ACH. It was a labor of love. In under a year, she made 50 quilts, embroidered names on them and handed them out at Christmas.
Then she began embroidering towels for the welcome baskets. Now, every child that comes to Amarillo Children’s Home not only gets a welcome basket but a towel and a homemade quilt with their name on it. This gift of love has deep personal meaning for Susie and for the recipient. “To have something with their name on it, made for them, is so meaningful. It makes me feel good, too!”
