KREMC Hosts Pressing Party for Cooperative Community Day
Every year the Indiana Electric Cooperatives individually choose a community organization to support, or a community need to address with a volunteer project. The annual event is known as Cooperative Community Day. This year, Kosciusko REMC wanted to partner with our local chapter of Ryan’s Case for Smiles for this special day. Ryan’s Case for Smiles is a non-profit organization providing unique, whimsical pillowcases to children with illnesses. KREMC became enamored with the Ryan’s Case for Smiles Story after the group applied for and received an Operation Round Up Grant over the summer.
Considering that the main objective for most Ryan’s Case for Smiles volunteers is to sew pillowcases, we were unsure how we might be able to effectively help the organization. Believe it or not, not many of our employees have sewing skills. However, co-coordinators of the South Bend Chapter of Ryan’s Case for Smiles Amanda Gould and Shannon Jenks had an idea. In September, their volunteers had worked tirelessly to sew over 2,500 pillowcases. The pillowcases still needed to be pressed and packaged. And so, we decided to have a Cooperative Community Day “pressing party.”
Our employees worked in shifts to iron and package more than 200 pillowcases. The October 13th Pressing Party proved to be wonderful and productive way to support Ryan’s Case for Smiles and work together as a team. We learned more about the difference Ryan’s Case for Smiles makes in our community. While the pillowcases bring joy to the children who receive them, the impact is also felt by the parents, siblings, and medical providers who care for the child. Ryan’s Case for Smiles offers valuable resources and tools help families better understand and cope with the experience. In the words of Shannon Jenks, “It is truly so much more than ‘just a pillowcase.’”
KREMC would like to encourage our members and blog readers to consider supporting this incredible organization.
Click HERE to find the Ryan’s Case for Smiles Wish List at Walmart.
Click HERE to donate directly to the organization. Just make sure to designate SOUTH BEND chapter, so funds stay in Kosciusko, South Bend, and Whitley counties.
If you would like to help sew pillowcases, package pillowcases, or reach organizers, email SmilesSouthBend@gmail.com
To hear more about Ryan’s Case for Smiles, listen to this episode of our podcast, Live Wire, where we talk with Shannon Jenks about the organization.
Click HERE to view all photos from our pressing party.