CORNER BROOK, N.L. — CORNER BROOK, N.L. — Amanda Sharpe is hoping the Elks Club in Corner Brook will be filled with sewing machines this Sunday as the West Coast Aid For Australia group she’s helped organize makes joey bags.
The bags are used by rescuers and people to carry baby kangaroos orphaned or injured by the bush fires currently ravaging Australia.
Sharpe first learned of the Australian fires in November.
“And it just seemed to keep getting worse, and worse and worse,” she said. “And finally, it seemed like it took off in December and everybody was finally realizing what was going on over there.”
It’s been devastating, she said.
“It all stirred emotion in me.”
When she saw there was a need for items like joey bags, she wanted to help.
“I’m an animal lover. I just feel like I want them to know that Newfoundland is there for you, we want to help you, too.”
Sharpe started sewing as a child and completed some courses at the Anna Templeton Centre in St. John’s. In the past five years she’s really picked up the craft.
On Wednesday, she posted on a Facebook classifieds site looking for an extra seamstress to help her make some bags.
The post received so much response she’s teamed up with other community members, including Amanda Young of Danny’s Paw Prints, a local dog and cat supply store, to form West Coast Aid For Australia.
On Friday, Sharpe said there are so many things that could be made to help the animals, but the need right now seems to be for joey bags.
Sunday’s event at the Elks Club, the rental of which has been covered by a donation from a local family, is being dubbed a Sew Sess.
“We’re trying to get a group of people gathered in one space,” said Sharpe.
"I just feel like I want them to know that Newfoundland is there for you, we want to help you, too.” Amanda Sharpe
It will include sewers and non-sewers who will work on the bags throughout the day.
“I can find something for people to do if they want to help,” she said, envisioning sort of an assembly line with people cutting and piecing together the patterns for the sewers. She’ll also need people who can run errands and pick up donations of fabric during the day.
The group will be using a pattern Sharpe found online and has posted to its Facebook page.
She said they don’t have a set goal on the number of bags they’d like to make.
“Just as many as we can.”
Once completed the bags will be washed and packaged for shipment to Australia.
The group has a Jan. 21 deadline because their contribution first has to be sent to a drop-off hub in St. John’s.
The Sew Sess will take place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Anyone interested in taking part or donating to the event can contact the group through its Facebook page. There are links on the page for patterns or needed items and Danny’s also has a box set up in the store for donations of knitted, crocheted or sewn items.
Twitter: WS_DianeCrocker
Article has been updated to clarify some information
