Christmas craft creation combines caring, creativity
By Ken Luchterhand
During the Christmas holidays, many gifts are offered to friends and family members.
The most valued and revered are handmade gifts, those given from the heart.
Many kind and giving hands were making those gifts the evening of Monday, Dec. 3, at the District 1 Community Center. However, it wasn’t just about the gifts, but more about the gathering of people.
It was a collaboration of the HCN Community Supportive Services Life Skills Program and the Vocational Rehabilitation for Native Americans (VRNA) program. It started last year from an idea formed by Life Skills Coordinator Gail Greendeer.
“We started working together in 2016, Hofstedt said. “It’s been a fun learning experience. We’ve been listening and observing. Sometimes we get more out of it that the clients.”
Clients from the two programs were present to make some presents. They made native design towels, moccasins, ribbon shirts, skirts, and baskets filled with items such as candles, scented herbs, and candy.
It was a way to get them together and learning some life skills that they can use to be productive, and maybe even make some money. It also allowed them to develop healthy social skills by making friends in the process.
They even learned cooking skills, having made chicken dumpling soup and a variety of other foods for the event.
One of the clients present was Ashley Littlegeorge, who made towels by sewing pixel-type native designs on the ends of towels.
“I was part of the Christmas craft event last year, which I liked very much,” Littlegeorge said. “It gives me something to look forward to.”
Littlegeorge said she learned how to make things that can help lift her out of her circumstances.
“I never would have learned these things otherwise,” she said. “Now I know where to buy the material and I can make a few towels with native designs and sell them. It’s money that could pay for my electricity bill.”
Many people look for native artwork and this gives her the opportunity to do something fulfilling in her life.
“Sewing class is my favorite. For a few dollars’ worth of materials, I can make a bone necklace that will sell for $80-$150,” Littlegeorge said.
By keeping busy, she can stay focused on positive things and remain sober, she said.
“This is stuff I never would have thought of. Instead of what I was doing before, getting into trouble, I could have been doing something I like,” she said.
Up until the time she had her daughter, she made bad choices and ended up paying for it. Once her daughter was born, she had a change of heart.
“I decided that this is not how I wanted to live,” she said. Through the help of Ho-Chunk Social Services Life Skills Program, she began meeting every other Tuesday for learning new skills. The Clan Mothers have joined in the effort to keep them focused.
“The Clan Mothers gave me a sense of belonging,” Littlegeorge said. “To me, they saved my life. I really look forward to coming here every two weeks. Often I bring my daughter.”
Besides sewing, they learn other group activities, such as cooking, creating a budget, and making simple crafts.
“I always know that there is someone out there to help. I just wish more people would come to the classes. It opened my eyes and teaches us a lot for me and for the kids,” Littlegeorge said.
Ho-Chunk Nation Life Skills Coordinators are Greendeer, Faye Begay, Nyree Kedrowski, Gail Greendeer, and Macy Goodbear.
Diane Hofstedt is the vocational rehabilitation counselor for the Vocational Rehabilitation for Native Americans (VRNA) program.
Clients are often referred to the two programs by the Ho-Chunk Nation Family Court program or by Drug Court.
Goodbear said that there is a method to their madness, that the sewing, cooking, and craft exercises help their clients to build self-esteem and self-worth. It also helps promote community involvement, she said.
Goodbear is the Life Skills Coordinator for the Nekoosa, Green Bay, and Wittenberg areas.
“Our motto is ‘Culture is Prevention.” If they learn their culture, they learn their place in society and gives them a sense of belonging,” Goodbear said.
Life Skills Supervisor Kimberly Whitewater said the annual Christmas craft-making event has been really successful and they hope to make it even bigger next year.
“It’s a time when clients and staff get together to use life skills,” Whitewater said. “They get to see how different herbs work and use birch bark to make baskets.”
Another client, Ashley Funmaker, made a basket with towels, candles, candy, and herbs. She hadn’t decided who she will give it to when she made it, but had several people in mind.
Some of the herbs available were frankincense tears, sage, lavender, star anise, calendula, grapefruit, jasmine flowers, rose buds, and cinnamon sticks. Each person decided what smells they liked and then gathered them into a net-like bag to be placed into a gift basket.
Some of the clients were excited about making crafts, while others were excited about how to make the soup.
They develop healthy positive coping skills,” Greendeer said. “Coming out of recovery or incarceration, they often wonder what they need to do to get back on track. Learning life skills helps them learning those skills, along with socialization and a boost to their self-esteems.”
Home