Ladies Aid thanks community for continued support

CREEDE – The Virginia Christensen Multi Use Facility was packed to the brim on July 17 with well over 200 people mulling around looking for treasures provided by generous donations and the efforts of Creede Ladies Aid Society. The annual Ladies Aid Rummage sale was off to a great start and there was no slowing it down.

Eager shoppers were greeted at the entrance by volunteers and members of the organization who were happy to offer a friendly smile and give personalized suggestions of where to start. From books of every genre to trinkets perfect for a country home, there was something for everyone.

Ladies Aid member Lori Dooley was one of the many organizers for the event and said, “We were so blessed this year. We have never had this amount of donations to deal with and luckily, we have some great businesses down Valley who are willing to help us with what is left over. We were taking donations weeks before the actual event and our storage facilities were plum full. It is just so heart filling to have this much support for what we do and the community we serve.”

Creede Ladies Aid is the oldest organization in Creede and is celebrating their quasquicentennial year. For 125 years, this wonderful organization has served the community through their several charitable efforts.

The final numbers for the event have yet to be tallied.

The time and effort that goes into the preparation of this event is one that takes a village to create and each of the members along with a large sprinkling of volunteers is the sole reason the rummage sale brings so much joy to the community in Creede.

The following is a list of services Ladies Aid offers the Creede community and where the money goes from the sale:

• assist with rent
• assist with medical bills
• assist with heating bills and firewood
• contribute to the Creede Early Learning Center
• contribute to the Mineral County Antibiotic Program
• arranging bereavement dinners for local families, when asked
• contribute to the Senior Lunch Program
• contribute to the Virginia Christensen Multi Use Facility
• contribute to the Creede Community Church
• contribute to the Creede Repertory Theatre's Friday Youth Camp
• assist with veterinary bills
• provide sewn fabric bags (made by the Sewing Sisters) full of toiletries to migrant workers in the Valley
• provide fabric bags (sewn by the Sewing Sisters) and age-appropriate toiletries to kids placed in emergency foster care
• donate quilts, neck pillows, walker bags, blankets, dining "coveralls" and more items sewn by the Sewing Sisters to Veterans at Homelake
• Sewing Sisters gift each new Creede baby with a handmade quilt.
• provide a cash gift, card and cookies at Christmas to Veterans at Homelake

Also, Ladies Aid:

• distributes homemade cookies at Christmas to local businesses as a token of thanks
• prepares food for Creede's Community Thanksgiving Dinner
• sells cookbooks available in local shops as a fundraiser
• makes a chocolate treat entry for the town's Chocolate Festival contest during Thanksgiving weekend
• sells homemade crafts during the Chocolate Festival and through December at the "Christmas Corner" set up in the Creede Community Church
• makes the "World Famous" chili rellenos casseroles to sell at the annual rummage sale

The organization is always seeking new members. Anyone who would like to be a part of this group, can reach out to President Janet Harrison at janetbaltesharrison@gmail.com.