Crafters guild makes generous donations
The Ingleside and Area Needle Crafters Guild Executive Committee stands with representatives from the Ingleside Masonic Centre, Friends of the Ingleside Library, and the Ingleside Food Bank, a few of the local causes that the Guild made donations to during their monthly meeting on Dec. 13. From left, Mike Whaley (Masonic Centre), Lorraine Sharron, Chris Savage, Marilyn MaGee, Susan Beach, Donna Dusomos, Michelle Ricard, Annette Hopkins, Lesley O’Gorman (Food Bank), Margaret Power (Friends of the Library), and Debra Smith (Food Bank).      O’Donohue photo

Michelle O’Donohue
Record Contributor
INGLESIDE – The Ingleside and Area Needle Crafters Guild met for their monthly meeting on Wed., Dec. 13. The group meets on the second Wednesday of every month at the Ingleside Masonic Centre. December’s meeting was particularly special, however, as there were two added components. The Guild was marking the season with their holiday party, crafters donned festive sweaters and accessories, and the group presented cheques to support several local groups and charities.

President of the Guild Chris Savage took a moment away from the busy meeting to speak with The Record about the group, and their charitable efforts. She explained that the Guild is relatively new, coming up on a year and a half old; and, that the creation of this group was born partially out of a desire for a guild that met during the day. The Ingleside Guild meets in the afternoon to lessen the dangers of driving at night. Savage remarked, “We were going to a guild in Lancaster at night, and in the winter, there were a couple of incidents where we kind of scared ourselves, so the girls asked me if I would start a guild.” The group is comprised of around 30 crafters, and at each meeting, members are invited to bring any craft or project they desire to work on. Savage noted that the group includes knitters, cross stitchers, Swedish weavers, quilters, and went on to joke, “you name it, we have it.” She further explained that the club is equally about a social gathering, and an opportunity for crafters to share their knowledge, and ask questions together.

As the Guild is a non-profit organization, and unable to keep the money raised from membership fees, Savage explained that they chose local causes to pass their funds on to, as a way to support the area. Donations were made to the Masonic Centre, for renovations, the Ingleside Splash Pad fund, Friends of the Ingleside Library for children’s programs, and “two 20 dollar gift cards to a boy and a girl on a tree at the bank” for Christmas, explained Savage. In addition to the donation of membership fees, the Guild also conducted a food drive. Lesley O’Gorman from the Ingleside Food Bank was present at the meeting to accept the collected non-perishable goods.

Savage described the importance of the team she has supporting her to the success of the Guild. There is an eight-member executive committee that assists with the work required to keep the Guild running smoothly, that Savage described as, “the best executive [committee] in the world.” Savage stated that she is “so proud” of the Guild, and went on to say that while it is a lot of work, she gets a great deal of joy out of it, “I get a lot of satisfaction when I sit back and listen to this,” referring to the happy sounds of laughter and conversation filling the room around her, adding, “a lot of these women didn’t know each other until I started this.”

Representatives were on hand from the Masonic Centre and Friends of the Ingleside Library to accept the monetary donations.