Free craft club to benefit Arc, Delaney Heights residents

Teddy bears, wooden furniture and spools of ribbon of all colors lined the shelves of one room of the Delaney Heights Recreational Center off of Alton Road in Avon Park.

Volunteers and representatives from Ridge Area Arc and the Avon Park Housing Authority worked unloading approximately 40 boxes and bins of donated craft supplies.

Tiny plastic babies and pacifiers, gold-papered wedding chalices, wire Christmas sleighs and little plush frogs and cows overflowed the boxes.

The supplies will be used by a newly-formed craft club made up of Delaney Heights residents, Arc clients, and interested community members who enjoy exercising their creativity.

The crafts will then be sold, and the proceeds will go to Arc programs for people with physical, emotional and mental health disabilities as well as participating Delaney Heights residents, who are also elderly or disabled and low-income.

Some money will also be put back into the program for the purchase of additional supplies.

Elaine Lacroix, a professional crafter who donated the goods, turned down an offer of $1,500 for the materials in order to donate them to Arc.

"I have a son that was in the program," said Lacroix. "They have been there for me for years and years."

Lacroix estimated that the crafting supplies are worth between $4,000 and $5,000. She gave them up after deciding to focus her career specifically on angel crafts.

Cam Barnard, director of employment services at Arc, hopes that proceeds from the sale of items made by the crafting club can help fill some holes left by cutbacks in state and federal funding for disabled persons.

"We have people who can no longer get to work because their transportation funds have been cut," said Barnard. "If they can't work, people will just sit in their homes."

Larry Shoeman, executive director of the Avon Park Housing Authority, also sees the club as a way to encourage social interaction between the organizations and build friendships in the community.

"We'll host the club and store the crafts," said Shoeman. "We're also soliciting other vendors to help with donations."

Once the program is up and running, Shoeman plans to roll it out to Lakeside Park residents as well.

An organizational meeting will be held on Feb. 20 at 10 a.m. at the Delaney Heights Recreational Center on the corner of Alton Street and North Florida Avenue across from Avon Elementary School.

Beginner and experienced crafters interested in participating are encouraged to attend.

The group also needs volunteers with experience organizing and coordinating craft projects.

For more information, call Cindy Marshall, Arc director of programs and services, at 452-1295, Ext. 124.