“Making a Difference: Crossing guards are unsung protectors of the community”

 “Making a Difference: Crossing guards are unsung protectors of the community”

 Link to the Daily Herald article: https://www.heraldextra.com/news/community/2023/jun/17/making-a-difference-crossing-guards-are-unsung-protectors-of-the-community/

Some of the unsung heroes in the city are school crossing guards. They come early in the morning — no matter the weather — don their reflective vests, set out the orange cones and hoist their stop signs.

They wait on street corners opposite the school, watching for children and parents while taking their lives into their own hands as they walk into the street to stop traffic. Interestingly, crossing guards do not work for the school district. In Provo, they actually work for the Provo Police Department.

“When they changed to federal funding for the Safe Passage for Children, overseeing the crossing guards switched to the Provo City Police Department,” said Erica Pimentel, Special Operations Division (SOD) Senior Administrator. “All 47 crossing guards in the City of Provo have basically one role: to protect children. And that’s what they do.”

Crossing guards are unique individuals who come from a variety of backgrounds — most being moms with children at the school, former teachers and senior citizens. A few commonalities, though, help align them with becoming a crossing guard, including their love for children. Another common thread is that they either have or have had a friend who was a crossing guard, or they have worked in education on some level.

Frances Rico, a single mother of twins and a little chihuahua, has been a daycare operator and owner who loves children. She became a crossing guard because a friend was one. “When my friend said I should do it I said ‘no, no, no!’ But then I thought that it would be a good way to get out of the house,” she said.

Another crossing guard, Connie Robison, is a former private school teacher and certified emotional healer. She, too, had a friend who loved being a crossing guard. “It occurred to me after talking to Merna that I would like it, especially because I love children,” Connie said.

Connie’s friend is Merna Talbot, an 83-year-old former kindergarten teacher and teacher’s assistant, and has been a crossing guard for almost a decade. “Being a crossing guard is natural for someone who likes children,” Merna said. “It helps me get up and gives me something to do in the morning. I love watching children grow up.”

Parents love crossing guards. One young mother of a first grader breathed a sigh of relief once she learned there was a crossing guard on the path to school.

“They are so necessary,” she said. “When the crossing guard is here, everything seems to go smoothly, and the cars are more responsive. Sometimes, when she is not here, it is challenging crossing the street because cars do not seem to want to stop. I am glad they have crossing guards.”

Ernestina, the mother to a 7-year-old and a 10-year-old, comes each morning and crosses the street. She stays and talks to Frances until she finishes her work. Over the past two-plus years, she has become an extra set of eyes for Frances and has seen her share of near-tragic situations.

“I have watched cars creep into the crosswalk even when the children are trying to cross,” Ernestina said. “Sometimes, they don’t even wait for the children to cross or the crossing guard to get back to the curb before they speed through. With a crossing guard, I feel that my children are safer when they cross the street.”

While being a crossing guard is an opportunity to project children, a few challenges do occur. When asked about the challenges, the crossing guards had different answers, depending on their situation. Frances said, “The traffic. The drivers. “They just don’t pay attention.”

Connie discussed a different challenge. “It has been the weather for me. This year we had lots of snow,” Connie said. “When the snowplow came, they just rolled up a bunch of ice and snow at the crosswalks. I tried calling the police, but no one responded. I brought a shovel from home and tried to get it off. I got most of it off. I sometimes used my stop sign to scrap off the snow that the snowplow left so it wouldn’t freeze on.”

No matter what, these crossing guards walk into the crosswalks, their reflective vests visible and stop sign held high to ward off the cars. Students then head into the street while the crossing guards hold the cars at bay until the students and their parents make it to the other side. Then, the crossing guard heads back to the corner where they breathe a sigh of relief and wait for another group of children.

Some of the children do not speak English and, instead of not connecting with them, Connie decided she was going to learn Spanish. When she asked a new little boy what grade he was in, he said “No English.”

“I went home and asked Google how to say, ‘what grade are you in,'” Connie said. “I practiced that phrase and used it the next day.” She continues to practice Spanish so she can communicate with Hispanic students.

A unique and close relationship occurs between a crossing guard and a child. Often, the children stop and talk to the crossing guards. When they cross, they say “thank you,” “good morning,” “May God be with you,” or “Have a nice day!”

The week before Mother’s Day, one of the students brought Connie flowers. “It was the sweetest thing, totally unexpected,” Connie said. “I was so appreciative. Other times, the children have given me a gift card to Target or other special cards. It is really wonderful that they appreciate what I do.”

Merna spoke of many stories that have special places in her heart. “The children tell me what is happening in their lives and invite me to their birthday parties, ballgames, and other activities. I sometimes even go to their events,” Merna said. “They see me as a friend. It is just a great neighborhood feeling.”

For Frances, it’s the little things. “The children have given me treats, drawn me pictures, and given me things at Christmas. One day, some of them commented how much they loved my nails. Another child made me a stop sign and a vest. Kids are just nice to work with.”

All crossing guards had four strong invitations to people as they approach a crosswalk around a school area:

 “Slow down, please!

• Get off your phones!
• Pay attention!
• Be aware of the safety of the people and not just concerned about getting to work!” 

Crossing guards want to make a difference by helping children and parents feel safe. Many people do not understand the challenges of being a crossing guard. “You do it because it is part of the day. It’s one of my favorite times of the day,” Frances said. “Even if I am in a bad mood, the children always make me smile. Kids are always happy. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Crossing Guard are truly guardians of the community.

 Anyone wanting more information about becoming a crossing guard can email Erica Pimentel at epimentel@provo.org.

"Resolutions or no resolutions: leading to a new you!"

"Resolutions or no resolutions: leading to a new you."
By Darrel L. Hammon

Published January 1, 2025 in https://www.transformationmag.com/2025/01/resolutions-or-no-resolutions/, pp. 28-31.

Some years ago, in a meeting with other leaders, we discussed making resolutions and whether making resolutions was whether the practice was still in vogue. Interestingly, the discussion had just two sides: yes and no. One leader representing the negative stated “No one makes resolutions anymore.” Another, representing the positive, stated: “We need to help people turn resolutions into reality.” I sided with the positive, and the following are six reasons why I believe we should develop and complete resolutions AND create strategies for turning them into reality.

1. Resolutions are not passé.

A decade ago, CBS conducted a poll that basically stated that “sixty-eight percent of Americans surveyed said they don’t make New Year’s resolutions—up 10 percentage points from two years ago.” Those percentages may have changed over the past ten years. Other research shows that making resolutions is still in vogue. Wharton School researchers Dai, Milkman, and Ri called the idea of making resolutions the “fresh start effect,” concluding that many of the fresh starts began at the beginning of the year or at the beginning of “temporal landmarks” (See https://faculty.wharton.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Dai_Fresh_Start_2014_Mgmt_Sci.pdf). These landmarks can be birthdays, marriage dates, the first of the year, or any time the person wants a fresh start. Perhaps, instead of naming them resolutions, we should call resolutions “fresh starts.”

2. Resolutions propel us toward self-improvement.

Most of us want to improve our lives, one way or another. What we need to realize is making and completing resolutions help us improve our lives. During the leadership discussion, one leader mentioned that we should “accept the burden of self-improvement.” In a Forbes magazine article, Ashley Feinstein discussed some research Gail Matthews from Dominican University wrote about goal settings. Feinstein stated that “those who wrote down their goals accomplished significantly more than those who did not write down their goals. Making and keep resolution help improve our lives” (See https://www.forbes.com/sites/ellevate/2014/04/08/why-you-should-be-writing-down-your-goals/).

3. Resolutions lead to intentionally planning our lives.

Throughout history, particularly in recent history, people believe they should live spontaneously. One of the leaders in the discussion called this spontaneity “accidental living,” just doing whatever comes up and not caring for what comes after, causing us not to worry about the potential consequences. This spontaneous living creates challenges and maybe even life-threatening actions. Usually somewhere along the way, people stop and confess that they have wasted their lives. Many then work hard in making the appropriate changes through creating goals and resolutions to change and then sticking to them. Making and completing resolutions leads to intentionally living well. We ultimately have the choice to do or not to do.

4. Resolutions help us answer the question “Where do I need to improve?”

Often in workplace annual assessments or evaluations, the question is asked: “Where do you think you need to improve?” Most good leaders know exactly where employees need to improve. They want us to be conscientious in acknowledging our short comings and/or our performance. Consequently, we create goals to improve our performance, develop strategies, and then work hard so our next performance evaluation is a stellar one. Additionally, we also ought to do a personal periodic review to propel us to determine what we need to improve our personal lives.

5. Leaders make resolutions.

Great leaders make goals/resolutions, create objectives that are measurable, develop strategies to achieve the objectives, and then assess how they successfully or unsuccessfully completed their goals and objectives. Some years ago, the Holden Leadership Center at the University of Oregon wrote: “Goals help define your organization, give direction and avoid chaos” (see https://holden.uoregon.edu/leadership) . Thus, leaders do not haphazardly follow a path. They know what they want and seek diligently in accomplishing their tasks..

6. Resolutions do not allow status quo.

In reality, there is no such thing as status quo. Either you are progressing or retrogressing. Most of us—thankfully—have to be doing something that improves our lives. Making and completing resolutions propels us forward for the most part. Granted, some of us do not keep our goals. In the CBS Poll, only “three in 10 Americans say they usually make New Year’s resolutions — but only about half keep them.” The challenge for not completing hinges not making obtainable goals or making too many. In a recent PositivePsychology article titled “The Science & Psychology Of Goal-Setting 101,” we learn that “[g]oal-setting in psychology is an essential tool for self-motivation and self-drivenness – both at personal and professional levels. It gives meaning to our actions and the purpose of achieving something higher” (https://positivepsychology.com/goal-setting-psychology/).

Into Action!
The key to making goals and resolutions hinges on the power of developing strategies. For example, a goal statement of “I will read ten books this year” is just that: a statement. A few questions must be asked, “How are you going to read ten books?” Which ones? When will you read them? We develop a plan of action, i.e., create strategies, which allows us definitive guidance as to HOW we are going to accomplish our goals. All goals need strategies that guide us through our short-term and long-term goals.

Whether you call it setting goals, making New Year’s resolutions, creating lifestyle changes, or developing a fresh start, doing something to improve your life, health, attitude, eating habits, exercise, or spiritual being will eventually lead you to self-improvement. When we gang up on ourselves by making dozens of resolutions or changes in our life at the same time, we will melt into oblivion and pound ourselves for not accomplishing all of the tasks. The key is to take one step at a time so that our goals can really become part of our new reality!

2024 BYU Education Week: My Teaching Story

2024 BYU Education Week: My Teaching Story

2024 BYU Education Week Schedule

I just finished an incredible week teaching four classes at the 2024 BYU Education Week. The overall topic/theme for the four days was “Forming Spiritual Self-Reliance and Lifelong Leadership Skills, from Pre-Mission to Post-Mission and Beyond!” Individual courses included:

• Tuesday—“Preparing to Serve: Becoming Spiritually Self-Reliant”
• Wednesday—“Echoes from the Mission: Learning and Implementing Leadership and Soft Skills”
• Thursday— “Mission Elevated: Applying Ten Straight-Forward Principles of Leadership”
• Friday— “Post-Mission Launching: Counsel for Transitioning from Mission to Home and Beyond”

• 

  Darrel presenting

It all began last year when Joanne and I applied to be “hosting staff” at the 2023 BYU Education Week. We hosted for four days and then attended a variety of courses, which were wonderful and informative.

As I attended these courses, I kept thinking to myself, “I think I can do this.” I talked to Joanne about it, and she said, “I know you can do it.” With Joanne’s support, I knew I had to at least try to become a presenter. I also talked to Trisha, one of our good friends from Lewiston, Idaho, who lives with her family in Washington. She has a son who is nearing the age of going on a mission and wanted additional insight on how to prepare him to go.

The Nelsons (Carol, high school friend), the Hammons,
Trisha (family friend from Lewiston, ID)

I then began thinking about what I might teach. Lots of ideas ran through my head about our missions, particularly serving as mission leaders in the California Riverside Mission and the many incredibly wonderful and spiritual experiences we had. Plus, since arriving home, we have visited with many missionaries about the transition home, including our own. We reminisced about the many firesides we gave both when we served in the Caribbean and to the stakes and wards as mission leaders.

In August 2023, I began fleshing out the outline for four difference courses, completed a 20-minute video of me teaching one of the four courses. At the end of September 2023, I submitted my application, résumé, and a link to my teaching video to the 2024 BYU Education Week Selection Committee. Then, the waiting began!

At the end of January 2024, I received an email invitation to teach at the BYU Education Week program, August 19-23. I was very excited about the invitation and knew I needed to get busy to develop the four courses.

Joanne, Darrel, and Bruce Hayes, a friend from Cheyenne, WY, now in Santaquin, UT.

Over the next several months, I began to develop the outline for the four classes that I ultimately taught during the 2024 BYU Education Week. It took me a bit to create the courses. I made numerous changes to all four courses, making sure that they really were filled with those things the Lord needed me to teach the people who might be attending my classes.

Finally, the time came to teach. Joanne attended with me and was an incredible support and cheerleader throughout the entire process.

Carol Nelson (friend from junior high and high school), Darrel, and Joanne

The four days that I taught were exhilarating, humbling, delightful, a bit stressful, and enlightening. I met lots of wonderful people who thanked me, visited with mothers and fathers about their missionaries, and other mothers who had pre-missionaries and wanted to know what they needed to still do to help their children. 

Participants attending one of the classes

Several pre-missionaries attend the entire series, and several recently returned missionaries attended the last session that was specifically created for them from a white paper I had shared with our own missionaries.

Ximena, hosting staff who is planning on a mission

Overall, the experience was just wonderful! It was an honor and privilege to teach at the 2024 BYU Education Week, and I am already thinking about topics I could teach for the 2025 BYU Education Week. Any insights would be helpful.

Stay tuned.

“Personal choices define us: Ten principles to help you make better choices in life.

“Personal choices define us: Ten principles to help you make better choices in life."

 
Also read in Transformation Coaching Magazine, August 2024, pp. 40-42. 

https://www.transformationmag.com/tcm-august-2024/

Over the past several months, I have talked to a variety of people who have made personal choices that have resulted in precarious financial, mental, and potentially dangerous physical situations. As my mother-in-law used to say, “It frosts me” to watch them make personal decisions and then not deal well with the self-induced consequences.

Many blame others for the consequences of their personal choices. One person recently said to me, “They (her family, friends, boyfriend, etc.) are the reason why this happened to me. They ruined my life.” When we analyzed the situation, however, it became rather obvious that her personal choices were responsible for this very challenging situation—but she refused to accept her role and continued to blame everyone else for the outcome. End of story.

Personal choices have consequences—some good and some not so good. Often, we know what the consequences will be way before we even make a decision. We know that if we spend our entire paycheck on frivolous things before we pay all of the bills that we have—car, rent, lights, heat, food etc.—then the landlord will be asking for the money and even perhaps kicking us out if we are far behind in our payments. There will be no food in the house. Our car may even be repossessed. Sad? Yes. Heartbreaking? Yes. Avoidable? Definitely yes!

I have discovered that the following 10 principles will help you make better choices.

1. Choose to act and not be acted upon.

Often some of us say that “it’s not my fault!” Yet, it is. Instead of accepting our own actions, we choose to be acted upon, allowing others to make our choices. Then, we blame others for our actions. True power comes from taking actions and then accepting responsibility and being accountable for these actions. We lose power when we make the choice to allow others to act on our behalf.

2. Use both sides of your brain.

We have both a right side and a left side of our brain. One side looks at everything rationally. The other side is a bit more spur of the moment, let’s do it now. You can look at our brain as having both pragmatic and emotional sides. They are meant to work together, although, for most of us, one side of the brain dominates. The key is to align ourselves with the best option, by consciously working to use both sides of the brain in concert.

3. Research the options.

Consider all angles, weigh the pros and cons, and determine the best course of action for you. We should try to see all sides, based on your research.

4. Consider the consequences.

There are consequences for each personal decision we make, and we need to weigh each variable. For example, when considering an investment, look at both the short-term and long-term scenarios. If buying a product, determine its financial impact vs. the value it offers.

5. Consider different points of view.

Evaluating from different points of view provides clarity. Consult others and review all the angles with a good mentor or coach. Ask the hard/challenging questions before making the decision.

6. Look for the long reach.

Some decisions are short-term and easy to make, like which ice cream flavor to select. Other decisions have a long-range impact such as buying a car, making an investment or purchasing car insurance. Spend an appropriate amount of more time on each decision based on how long its reach will be in the future. Also consider the potential long-term impact.

7. Make the decision.

Yes, you have to make the decision eventually. If you have thought about it, done the appropriate research, understand and accept the oncoming consequences, you are ready to make a choice. Take a deep breath and commit.

8. Conduct an assessment of your decision.

It can be a formal or informal assessment. Ask questions like: Was that the best or most effective decision I could have made? What were the positives about the decision? What about the negatives? What did I learn from the decision? What would I have done differently if I could make the decision over? What will I do now? How can I enhance my future decisions? Often an assessment reveals that a mistake was made. Instead of beating yourself up, consider how you are going to turn that mistake into a positive choice next time. Sometimes, we may just have to move on.

9. Move forward.

Ultimately, we need to move on to the next decision, utilizing and incorporating all of our experiences to make a better, more effective decision going forward. Dwelling on past decisions will only cause you to focus too much on the past, impeding our future choices.

10. Develop a process.

Decision-making does not have to be a long, drawn-out process every time, but each decision requires a thought process. Choose well! Become the doer and the chooser!

Our personal choices define us, and how we react to the consequences of our decisions can either propel us forward to become better people who are comfortable with personal growth or mire us in a never-ending morass that holds us back.

"Education Tips: Getting Your Child Ready for College During Their Senior Year”

 "Education Tips: Getting Your Child Ready for College During Their Senior Year”

As we speak, high schools across the United States have already begun their year. Now, the juniors are poised to take their place as the mighty seniors. While being a senior is a cool thing, the question emerges as to whether they are ready to take their rightful place in the college of their choice in one year’s time, or even longer.

For parents, they begin to panic early. For some reason around this time of year, many parents look at their child across the table and think: “Oh my, they are going to be a senior this coming year. We aren’t ready for this!”

Parents, don't panic! Here are some education tips you may want to discuss with your soon-to-be seniors before you totally panic. Plus, you parents who have students transitioning from 8th grade to 9th and those who are sophomores and juniors ought to listen up because it would be wise for you to begin thinking about these things now and begin working on them right away.

Scholarships/Financial Aid—Most, if not all, parents worry about financial aid because the cost of a college education increases every single year. Every college and university has financial aid available to their students. The key to success is starting out early to make sure you understand what this all entails. Begin by checking with your child’s high school counselor. Almost weekly, they receive scholarship updates from a plethora of sources, including colleges and universities. You may even want your child to check with the counselor on a weekly basis. Additionally, contact the various colleges your child is interested in. All colleges now have websites that focus on scholarships. Be acutely aware of the financial deadlines and meet them. There is nothing more depressing than missing a deadline for a scholarship that had your child’s name written all over it. Also, check around your community for scholarships your child might be eligible for. You might be surprised what your local credit union, bank, farmer’s organization, community foundations and clubs, employer, etc. have available for their local students. Check out websites like fastweb.com and sign up. Be proactive. If your child wants to go to college, then having the money to go is imperative. In my opinion, student loans are always the very last option!

Classes—Visit with the high school counselor to make sure your child has earned the appropriate credits for the classes he or she may have taken. Every state and almost every school have varying graduation requirements. If you have moved from one state to the next, checking with your local school is imperative. Additionally, if your child is taking dual-credit or dual-enrollment courses that earn him or her college credit, be sure they finish these courses and are transcripted. You will be amazed how much money you will save if your child does not have to take them in college. Encourage your child to do the best he or she can during the senior year--any year, for that matter--because it really does count in the long run.

ACT/SAT—By the beginning of a senior year, most high school juniors have already taken the ACT or SAT. If not, you will need to schedule one as soon as you can. Most high schools can do the scheduling for you. If a student feels he or she has not done the best, he or she can take it over again. Be sure, though, to review the scores of the last ACT/SAT test and study those areas in order to enhance the score. But if you miss the deadlines, many colleges have alternative assessments that your child can take to determine whether he or she is eligible to attend. Check with your college to determine what that assessment might be.

Four-year, two-year, or technical college—For some, choosing between a four-and a two-year college may not be an issue. For parents on a budget, the choice may be more acute. Four-year colleges and universities tend to cost more in the short and in the long run. Two-year colleges or community colleges are historically less expensive. Technical colleges have programs that are shorter and more specific to a trade or job and are often less expensive. Your financial aid package may determine which school to go to. Some parents may believe that community colleges are inferior to a four-year college. The good news is community college students do as well as or even better than their four-year counterparts at the four-year institution once they graduate. Do not rule out community colleges and technical colleges. But do make sure that you check out the financial aid packages and the transferability of the credits and certifications of all institutions. Bottom line, though, hinges on choosing the best college for your son or daughter.

Community service—This is a big one. Many scholarships—maybe even most of them—require students to participate in community service throughout their high school careers. Thankfully, community service is easy to achieve because there are numerous community and church organizations that need help from young people. The best thing to do is start in the 8th or 9th grade and develop a community service model for your child. Showing a long-term commitment to one or two organizations is a good thing. Obtaining two or three hours here and there demonstrates that the child is not too committed to doing consistent community services. Plus, when young people perform community services, they usually impress their supervisors of the directors of the project. In the long run, they will be able to solicit a letter of recommendation from these people when applying for scholarships or college admissions to the college of their choice. Maybe even more important, some of these volunteer opportunities may translate into future jobs, either during the summer months or even when the student graduates from college. The most important thing is that students choose community service opportunities for which they have interest.

Grades—The fact of the matter is this: grades are important, no matter what anyone says. If students do not do well in their classes, they may end up having to enroll in remedial course in college. These remedial courses still cost money; they do not apply toward graduation; and they may impede graduating on time. Students must always attempt to do well in their coursework. If they are struggling, parents, be sure to obtain a tutor or meet with the teacher to make sure your student is doing everything possible to earn good grades.

Internships—Even in high school, students can opt for internships, either paid or unpaid. In fact, more and more high schools are helping their students capture prime internships. Internships help students experience a potential career, develop real-life skills, learn how to work with others, demonstrate to the organization what skills they do have, and create future connections. Overall, internships in high school and college can only help students gain greater insight into themselves and what they might be good at doing.

College visits—It is always a good idea to know something about the college or university you are going to attend. Often, though, a college visit may not be feasible because of the distance from your home. Colleges know that. Thus, they have developed incredible virtual tours and information videos for students. Take advantage of them. Additionally, colleges and universities can schedule live chat sessions with counselors, students, and administrators. They will accommodate your schedules. Ultimately, students need to determine if they are going to be a good fit.

Overall, parents, it is not too late to begin the process. Try not to feel stressed or anxious. There are way too many avenues to obtain the information you need. You may want to start with your child’s high school counselor or a counselor or admissions representative at the local college or university. Do not be afraid to ask lots and lots of questions. If you do, you and your child will be prepared for the senior year and beyond.

If you need additional help, please contact me at darrel.hammon@gmail.com. I am available to help!

“Making a Difference: Sew-n-Sews help out one stitch at a time”

“Making a Difference: Sew-n-Sews Help Out One Stitch at a Time”
By Darrel L. Hammon

From an article published in the Provo Daily Herald, July 8, 2023. (https://www.heraldextra.com/news/community/2023/jul/08/making-a-difference-sew-n-sews-help-out-one-stitch-at-a-time/)

Doris Wattleworth was 87-years old when she asked Kathy Gover, a Pleasant Grove neighbor and former teacher, to help her learn to quilt. “I was amazed,” said Kathy, “that someone at that age wanted to learn how to quilt, and I decided to help.”

From left, the "Sew-n-Sews," Char Barker, Doris Wattleworth, Carol Morley,
Karen Sommer, Kathy Gover pose in this undated photo.

Together, they set up a piece of plywood on a bed in Doris’ house. Then, Doris purchased some basic quilting tools, material, and cutting mats. An old box springs stacked against one of the walls became the design wall. Doris’ sewing machine was an old one but was functional for what she wanted to do.

Carol Morley posing with one of her quilts in this undated photo

A short time later, Doris sold her house, and they moved the sewing equipment to Kathy’s house. Pretty soon, they had three sewing machines going. Kathy’s husband built a tall cutting table, and things started to roll.

They were having so much fun, Kathy decided to reach out to others who wanted to learn or enhance their sewing and quilting skills. Soon, one by one, the current group of six women joined the sewing and quilting group. Carol Morley joined the group after her husband passed away. Char Barker wanted to find a way to help children.

Debbie Weatherhead attended a women’s meeting at Church where Kathy was attending and noticed that Debbie had a quilted bag. “Oh, you quilt,” said Kathy. The conversation launched into quilting and sewing. Kathy’s parting words to Debbie were: “ Come on over and check us out.” She did and joined.

One day in 2017, they decided to name the group and toyed with a variety of names. They all liked the phrase “Sew-n-Sews” and began calling themselves the “Sew-n-Sews” group because they were going to sew this or sew that.

The Sew-n-Sews meet every Tuesday at Kathy’s, excluding holidays. They sew, piece together quilts, enhance their quilting skills, and have fun doing it. Lunch is always part of the gathering!

From left, the "Sew-n-Sews," Doris Wattleworth, Kathy Gover,
and Carol Morley  pose in this undated photo.

 All Sew-n-Sews are retired and felt a sense of loss after they left the workforce. They wanted to keep making a difference. Now, they are happy because making quilts allows them to be more creative, learn together, and use their talents. “Plus,” said Char. “It keeps our brains stay alive and active.”

From left, the "Sew-n-Sews," Carol Morley, Kathy Gover, Debbie Weatherhead,
and Char Barker, Char Barker, pose  with their "Monster" quilt in this undated photo.

“It’s really a learning experience,” explained Carol. “I had different sizes of material, and I couldn’t quite figure out how to use it. When I asked the others, they said, ‘why not do this or that’. That gave me confidence to continue with my project, and it turned out great.”

“For me,” said Kathy, “we have been learning a lot together. At the beginning, some of us weren’t totally skilled in piecing quilts, but each week, we learned how to iron the seams correctly, how to cut material in certain shapes, and create beautiful quilts. Also, Doris keeps us laughing and sings to us as we work!”

Kathy Gover poses with one of unfinished pillowcases.

They were sewing and making quilts for personal use when the Green House Center for Growth & Learning (The Green House Center) organization that works with children with emotional and educational challenges and people in crisis reached out and asked for their help.

 
Since becoming the Sew-n-Sews, they have worked mainly with the Green House Center. Later, they branched out to other organizations, including the Festival of Trees, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Helping Hands, and others in making and donating 40” x 60” lap quilts and pillowcases.

Unfinished quilt tops

 “When we have finished about 40 quilts, we take them to the Green House Center,” the Sew-n-Sews explained. “Usually, when we stop by with a wagon or two full of lap quilts and pillowcases, everyone stops to admire the them.”

Initially, the Sew-n-Sews purchased the material on their own. After a while, though, people began donating material and batting to help them with their hundreds of quilts.

The lap quilts require about four to five yards of fabric to make and are donated to the Green House Center. Eight-ten yards are required for the twin quilts and are donated to the Sleep in Heavenly Peace and other organizations. Over the last six years, they have created, sewn, and donated hundreds of lap quilts and pillowcases.

Boxes and tubs of material and quilting supplies

 The Sew-n-Sews expressed immense joy in making and donating lap quilts to different organizations. When asked about their work, they shared so many feelings about friendship, learning different skills, going beyond themselves, serving others, and accomplishing goals of making something for someone else.

“One of our biggest disappointments, though,” said Doris, “is knowing that we cannot do more.” On the other hand, Kathy feels a different type of disappointment. “We are all reluctantly realizing our limitations and have begun to slow down, but we keep doing what we can to help others.”

From left, Kathy Gover, Doris Wattleworth, Carol Morley,
Karen Sommer, and Char Barker pose in this undated photo.

 While sewing is losing its appeal, the Sew-n-Sews want the legacy of sewing and quilting to continue. Kathy’s plan is simple. “So, if I can teach people how to quilt and sew, then their children might learn.” Two of the Sew-n-Sews, Debbie and Karen, both from Provo, have begun teaching younger women how to sew.

Seldom if ever do the Sew-n-Sews meet the children and teenagers who receive the quilts, especially those donated to the Greenhouse Center. One woman who had several adopted grandchildren approached some of the Sew-n-Sews at a wedding reception and said that some of them had received quilts, cherished them, and wanted their picture taken with the women who made them.

More tubs and boxes of material and other quilting things

 “We realize that many of the children who receive our quilts have not ever received comfortable things in their lives,” offered Kathy. “We love helping children. It touches our hearts when we know they are going to children who need them. We believe these quilts give soft, loving comfort.”

But sometimes they do capture a glance. “One organization showed me a book with pictures of children who had received the quilts,” explained Char. “Three of them were mine. Tears flowed, and I rejoiced knowing that my quilts were helping people.”

Karen Sommer looking on as Carol Morley shows a quilt 

 Doris mentioned that so many people think that quilts just grow magically. “They don’t realize how much thought and consideration go into making quilts,” she said. “When we make a quilt, we are sharing feelings and telling them stories.”

Lots of pins are needed for quilting

 “We put so much love in every stitch!” declared Carol. “I think you could say that each quilt is stitched in love!”

“For me,” said Char, “I can’t die yet because I have too much fabric to sew.”

Lots of material for quilts organized by color

The Sew-n-Sews are extremely organized. In one room in Kathy’s sewing space, which encompasses almost her entire basement, are shelves and shelves, stacked against every inch of wall space and touching the ceiling, filled with carefully labeled boxes of materials by color, sizes of materials, and patterns.

For Karen Sommer, many tender mercies occur when planning out the quilts, even though initially she did not know who needed it.

Karen explains the closet full of quilting material

“I wanted to make a quilt, and Kathy gave me a pattern, and I began making one,” explained Karen. “It kept coming to me that someone needs this. When I asked Debbie about the quilt, she asked what I was going to do with it. The moment she asked that, I knew I needed to give it to a woman in my church congregation who was going through chemo. I felt really good about giving it to someone who needed it.”

Material organized by color

 “These quilts wrap people in love,” said Doris. Over the years, the Sew-n-Sews have wrapped thousands of children and others in beautiful quilts that tell stories in Utah, Ukraine, and other places.

The Sew-n-Sews make quilts and pillowcases but do not use social media to promote themselves, but they do know they are making a difference in many lives.

Displays for materials and quilting things

“My sewing buddies are my best friends,” declared Debbie. “Together, we make a difference and connections by creating something special to give to people. Everything we do is for service.”

The Sew-n-Sews are happy to receive donations of quilting materials and batting. If you are interested in starting a sewing or quilting group to help those most in need or have quilting materials to donate, please contact Kathy Gover at 801-636-1436 or via kwgover@yahoo.com.

Making a Difference: The ten-year journey of Kate Bateman—human connection makes us want to change

Making a Difference: The ten-year journey of Kate Bateman—human connection makes us want to change

Darrel L. Hammon 

Kate and her family

In 2008, Kate Bateman, a young Canadian, went on vacation with her family to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. She loved the beauty of the island — the turquoise water, sandy beaches and the people. Her mood changed when she encountered young children working on the beach, begging and shining shoes. She wondered why they were not in school.

Soon, she learned a hard truth. These Haitian children living in the Dominican Republic did not go to school. Her vacation allure quickly dissipated into how she could help these children obtain their 

dream — or even instill in them a dream for something better.

Kate returned to Puerto Plata for a few years to check up on the young children she had met. Before she went, Kate gathered school supplies, clothing, and basic medical supplies to donate.

On each trip, she would gather more things to donate, only to discover that the children’s situations had not improved. She needed to do more than bring perishables to these children. Her epiphany came to her: They needed the education to climb out of the abyss of poverty.

After years of trips, a 21-year-old Kate Bateman formed Youth Upliftment International (In French: Amélioration Jeunesse Internationale), a nonprofit organization working on behalf of impoverished Haitian youth living in Puerto Plata.

According to Youth Upliftment International, the organization’s goal is “to provide students with a high-quality education, while also meeting their basic needs.”

 

The school is named Collège Amélioration Jeunesse — also fondly known as “Kate’s school” — and currently has students enrolled in pre-school to fundamental 6, which is the equivalent of 6th grade. The school is a simple one, snuggled between several buildings along a moderately busy street.

The typical student was born and raised in Haiti, or born in the Dominican Republic to Haitian parents, and comes from 11 different communities across the sprawling city. Kate beams when she says, “They are excited about learning and treat their teachers and peers with kindness.”

Most of the school’s teachers are Haitians. Some of the teachers have taught in Dominican schools but, according to Kate, “choose to work with us as they want to see children from their community educated. Our best teachers are those who are well-known members of the Haitian community, either as pastors or community leaders.”

Teacher and staff development is important to the school. At the start of every academic year, teachers attend a week-long staff development dedicated to teacher training. “We try and collaborate with other schools and charities for additional staff training and teacher development,” Kate said. “We are always looking for opportunities for our teachers to grow into better educators.”

Teaching a holistic curriculum is important to Kate. She said, “Our curriculum is a combined one. We use parts of the Haitian, Dominican, and Canadian (Quebec) curriculum so that our students are well rounded.”

For Kate, though, learning languages is key. In addition to Spanish, students are taught to read and write in French and Haitian Creole.

New Parent Group

“Many of our students and their families do end up back in Haiti. Sometimes this is due to deportation, other times on their own free will,” she said.

Kate hopes the Collège Amélioration Jeunesse one day becomes an accredited learning center (Centro Educativo) in the country.

While they move through the arduous process of becoming a learning center, their goal is to see every child who attends the school graduate. Upon graduation from the school, students have two options.

“They can attend public high school, or if their grades are very good ( 90-95% average) and they show leadership qualities, we fundraise to put them in a private high school where the quality of education is much better,” Kate explained.

Maintaining and growing a school is not a not easy task. Kate praises the community groups and churches for their additional efforts in making the educational dream a reality.

No matter how challenging it may be to educate these young Haitian students, Kate finds a way to be happy and positive: “For all of the hardships and challenges we encounter, there is always something positive happening.”

When Kate talks about her biggest accomplishment, she doesn’t hesitate. “We are so excited to be celebrating ten wonderful but challenging years,” she said. “I feel very proud that our school belongs to the Haitian community. It is a safe space where our students are celebrated for being who they are and what they are becoming.”

The future is wide open for the Collège Amélioration Jeunesse. Kate’s goal is to offer more educational programs, have students attend English classes every day and offer additional extracurricular activities during the weekend. But in order for Kate to accomplish these tasks, she needs financial help.

 “Many of our students come from homes where they do not have access to healthy balanced meals. The one nutritious meal they can look forward to in a day is at school. To feed all of our students each month the cost is $3,260 CND (approximately $2,400 US),” she said.

Two Canadian sisters, Sheila and Kathy, are co-directing a student sponsorship program for Kate’s students on behalf of the Dominican Starfish Foundation. The two recently attended the 10th-anniversary celebration at the school, saying, “Kate truly is a modern-day Mother Theresa, truly a selfless person. Her school is more than a school. It is a refuge from a difficult and cruel world.”

Karen, a supporter and advocate for the school, interviewed Kate for a research component in her Master of Leadership Program in Canada. She called Kate’s work “extremely humbling” and praised her efforts on the island.

 
Kate has a message for those who want to help: “Human connection is what motivated me to make a change,” offered Kate. “We could use your support and certainly appreciate it! Every person, every organization, can make a difference. Be curious, keep asking questions, and become involved. I also invite anyone interested in seeing what we are all about to come and see for themselves. We love and appreciate visitors!”

To contact Kate, you can go online to www.youthupliftment.org  or go to Facebook and Instagram: youth upliftment international.

You can also read this article published in the Daily Herald (Provo): https://www.heraldextra.com/news/community/2022/nov/12/making-a-difference-the-ten-year-journey-of-kate-bateman-human-connection-makes-us-want-to-change/