Volunteers at The Center create dresses to bring hope, security and dignity to girls world-wide

It was an impressive scene at The Center on State Street in Brockport on October 27. Eight women were at work in the second-floor room, clustered in project groups around fabric and sewing materials. They were in various stages of making dresses for girls who live in challenging conditions locally and world-wide.

Their mission statement reads: “ ‘Brockport Dresses for Girls Around the World’ is a  program of dedicated volunteers making dresses and a difference for girls in need around the globe by giving them hope, security and dignity – one dress at a time.” According to the group’s leader, Andrea Perry, the program is modeled after the international organization by a similar name, but remains independent and locally controlled.  A unique feature of this local group is a local courier delivering a suitcase full of apparel in person to the chosen foreign region.

The volunteer organization has two dozen members on its email list. Some donate materials or money when needed, or sew dresses at home.  Others turn out to the workshops held once a month.

Working with Perry in leadership are Hanny Heyen, Mary Lynne Turner and Marcia Rachow. The four are regulars at the workshops, and were joined this time by Kathy Martel, Irene Pasternak, Jenifer Sheldon and Linda Breitenbach.

Making dresses and more 

The finished dresses seen at the workshop were both inexpensive and attractive.  Basic dresses are made from donated pillow cases. With head and arm cut-outs, they are colorfully decorated and a pocket added.  For cooler climates, or where the culture prohibits bare shoulders, tee shirts are the top and fabric is added to make a skirt.  Pockets and trim are added, all beautifully color coordinated. Kits are put together at the workshop for home-assembly, providing pre-cut fabrics and trims.

Along with a dress, girls receive underpants and a small handmade doll. Boys receive boxer shorts underwear and a Beanie Baby. A typical suitcase being delivered to warm countries contains 25 dresses, 25 underpants, 25 small hand sewn dolls, 25 boys’ boxer shorts and 25 Beanie Babies.

In the winter season, domestic violence centers in Rochester (Willow) and Albion (Pathstone) receive appropriate apparel:  Flannel nightgowns or pajamas, slippers, underwear for girls, boxer shorts, Beanie Babies and a quilt. Pajamas are for girls or boys, with a long sleeve tee shirt top and sewn flannel bottoms. The quilt is donated by the quilting group that meets in The Center.

Deliveries here and around the world

Besides the winter items sent to local domestic violence centers, dresses have been donated to The Clothing Shelf at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Brockport.

Since the group started in May, 2015, “We also have sent dresses to Ecuador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Tanzania and Guatemala,” Perry said. “We are always on the lookout for opportunities to send our items to areas of poverty.”

One opportunity occurred in September when a person at The Center said a friend is going to Guatemala.  The friend was provided a suitcase of clothing to deliver.

Typically, couriers are local people known to travel the world, for example professors traveling with a class of students.  Katrina Arndt, associate professor at St. John Fisher College, travels to Jamaica each year with JASY (Jamaican Advantage thru Sports for Youth).  Each year they alternate taking volunteers from St. John Fisher and from Fairport High School. They go with sports equipment, spending a week in sports activities and then leave the equipment.  Arndt agreed to deliver a suitcase of clothing this year.

Generous donations

The program is partially funded by the Sweden Seniors Association, Inc. at The Center. Extra funds have been raised at various events by selling dresses made by Hanny Heyen and Terry Joseph, origami greeting cards by Mary Lynne Turner, and needle holders by Marcia Rachow.  Money is also directly donated by members on the email list and others.  The cash is necessary to purchase tee shirts and to provide the $25 fee for couriers bringing the suitcase on a plane.

“Most of our materials are donated by local people aware of the program,” Perry said.  “Items have included: Sewing machines, cloth, trims, elastic, etc.  The Lakeside Fig Twig gave us many items to make tee shirt dresses, plus packages of underwear and a generous cash donation.”

“I feel this is a very contagious program,” Perry said about support from the greater Rochester/Brockport area. “I once described it to a stranger, and she and a friend in Owego made us 16 dresses.  A lady in Canandaigua made baby dolls for us, and so did the teen group at Seymour Library. Ladies at the Village at Unity made dresses for us.  A lady in Spencerport sent us 25 dresses.  A lady from Irondequoit sent us 24 finished dresses, plus kits and material. People are dropping off donations at The Center all the time.  We are very grateful.”

Personal inspiration for the volunteer work

Perry started this program after meeting with Diane Acomb and the Dress-a-Girl program in Dansville. “I was attracted to the program because my mother-in-law, Ruth Perry, became involved when she was in her late 80’s until her death at 91,” Perry said. “She was a lifelong seamstress and advisor to Diane.  I was inspired by her dedication and creativity.”

Heyen has enjoyed sewing since she was 10 years old, starting as a member of a 4-H Club.  That was two years after coming to the U.S. from Germany in 1948. “My family didn’t have much money, but the club donated fabric, and a neighbor gave me a used sewing machine. I started making my own clothes,” she said. “I feel like I’ve come somewhat full circle as I participate in Brockport’s Dress a Girl Around the World program. Not having much money back then, I am now using some of those earlier sewing skills, getting together with others, and knowing that the girls receiving them in impoverished countries across the globe will have the dignity of owning at least one dress.”