Keeping kids warm through sewing
Two-week program provides big benefits in Repulse
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, January 14, 2015
REPULSE BAY
A number of children are enjoying winter with nice warm hands in Repulse Bay (Naujaat) this year, thanks to a brief, but effective, sewing project through the community justice program.
Justice committee member Joanna Kopak, back left, and justice committee outreach worker Annie Angotingoar present new mitts to Carra Angotingoar, front left, and Coby Tuktukjuk in Repulse Bay. - photo courtesy of Trina Yank |
The project was funded through the Pulaarvik Kablu Friendship Centre in Rankin Inlet.
Community justice outreach worker Annie Angotingoar submitted a proposal to the centre for a mitts project for children in need.
The proposal was accepted by the centre's executive director, George Dunkerley.
The funding allowed the committee to hire two instructors in elder Uluta Ivalutanar and Elisapi Bruce to teach six students how to make the mitts.
Angotingoar said the program ran from Dec. 1 to 12, running three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
She said the group made 24 pairs of mitts during that time from sealskin, beaver, sheepskin and leather.
"The students were brand new to sewing when the program began," said Angotingoar.
"It's very, very cold in Repulse during the winter and I was seeing some of the students going to school without proper mitts.
"My heart went out to them, so I talked to George (Dunkerley) about running a program to help these kids.
"We picked about a dozen, or so, students we knew needed mitts - because everybody knows everybody in Repulse - from kindergarten all the way to Grade 12."
Angotingoar said she was very proud of the effort the students put in.
She said a great job was done on the mitts and the children were proud to receive them.
"Some of the students are single parents and, at the end of the project, they were saying they were now going to make mitts for their own kids.
"The parents were very happy to see their children receive the mitts.
"One of the parents even cried. I could see the happiness on the faces of the mothers and fathers when their kids received a pair of mitts, and that was such a nice feeling."
Angotingoar said despite being short in duration, the program had the double benefit of providing warm mitts to the children, while teaching six students a new skill - how to sew properly.
She said everyone involved with the project enjoyed each other's company while sewing the mitts.
"Some of them learned how to sew very neatly while making these mitts.
"They also learned how to cut the pattern for the mitts and which direction the fur has to go.
"It really helped a lot in a number of areas for a short program."
