We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
For more than a year Bonnie Hellman, of Chinook, has been using her sewing skills to help orphans in Haiti. The retired elementary teacher collects (she taught 27 years in Harlem), cuts and sews cotton t-shirts in to 'diapers' that eventually are used in four orphanages on the Caribbean island. She got interested in the ministry when she met another seamstress who was showing one of the homemade diapers to a group at a senior center in Culbertson, Montana. Since she started making the diapers, she's completed 18 dozen.
A history of sewing
Hellman said of her lifelong interest in sewing, "I taught myself to sew as a kid." She went on to college at Eastern Montana College (now, MSU-Billings) to pursue a degree in education. The college had a program where students could check out sewing machines. Bonnie said, "While a college students I would check out a machine over the weekend and make myself a dress or other item I needed." Her parents gave her a sewing machine as a present for her graduation from college. She took sewing classes and attended demonstrations to learn new techniques and eventually took up quilting. There are sewn items in her house and her phone is full of photos of completed projects. She has four sewing machines. Hellman said, "I simply love to sew."
The 't-shirts to diapers' project
While visiting in Culbertson, Hellman met Ramona Ross at a gathering at the local senior center. Ross was showing a handmade diaper she had made out of t-shirts. Hellman got interested in how the diapers were made, then learned about the diapers' ultimate use. Ross, who is called "the t-shirt lady," explained how the diapers were shipped to four orphanages in Haiti. Each of the facilities has about 100 young children, meaning there's a need for a minimum of 800 diapers each day.
The completed diapers are sent to a facility in Minneapolis-St. Paul, then shipped to Haiti. Hellman explained how, for shipping, each diaper is rolled, then boxed into a box in which reams of copy paper are delivered. She said nine dozen diapers will fit into one of the boxes.
According to Hellman, two large-sized adult or bigger t-shirts will make four diapers. The diapers are made with elastic around the legs and the whole garment is secured in front of the infant with Velcro. White t-shirts are used for the inside layer and a 'soak pad.' The outside layer can be any color and Hellman added, "Just for fun, if there is a logo on the t-shirt I sew the material so the logo is on the butt (see photo with story)."
Hellman has mastered the process, cutting out and sewing 18 diapers at a time. She showed pictures of stacks of cut diapers, diapers in the process of being sewn and rolled diapers going into a box for shipping. She said, "It takes about two to three days to complete 18 diapers, that's working on them around other housework and things I have to take care of. I've never watched the clock to see how long it actually takes, I just love the sewing." Her granddaughter Kiera Hellman, a student at Meadowlark Elementary, sometimes helps her with various stages of the process.
Cotton t-shirts work well because the material can be repeatedly laundered. Hellman said she's been told the diapers have about a five month useful life, so there's always a need for replacement diapers. She told of posting some pictures of completed diapers on Facebook and a missionary friend, who saw the post, wrote to tell her, "my husband and I were in Haiti when a shipment of diapers arrived and the folks at the orphanages were most appreciative." Hellman sees this as a way to minister to people in need. She added, "I take a completed box of diapers to my church and we say a prayer over them before they are shipped."
Asked how long she saw herself involved in making the diapers, Hellman said, "I enjoy sewing. My friend in Culbertson said she planned to quit several times, but a sack full of t-shirts would show up on her door step and she would begin sewing again." Hellman laughed and said, "I'm kind of the same way. I put the project out of my mind for a time when other things are pressing, then I'll see a stack of t-shirts and start making diapers again."
Interested in helping?
Hellman said when she first began doing the diapers, "I was going to Goodwill in Billings and buying t-shirts." Once word got around about her interest, people began donating t-shirts to her. For best results she said, "The shirts need to be large size or bigger. Color is not important but they need to be washed and have minimal stains. Sometimes I can cut around a stain if it's not too big."
She gladly accepts donated t-shirts. Hellman said, "Call me at 357-2255 or folks can drop t-shirts off with my daughter, Jennifer, at American Garage in Chinook." It appears that Bonnie Hellman is not going to quit the diaper project soon. Fact is, she hinted there might even be a place for other seamstresses who would like to be involved in the sewing. Give Bonnie a call if you're interested.
