Sitting in the front meeting room at Arlington Animal Services, Lynn Elliot sorts through piles of blankets made by herself and three other women. With vivid patterns on one side and blank fabric on the other side, the blankets will be used to help animals in the shelter.
Over the next several weeks, she and other members of the Golden People Are Willing and Sharing (or Golden PAWS) volunteer group will sew on their group’s patches to get ready for the next craft fair where the blankets will be sold to benefit the animal shelter.
Elliot was looking for something to do after she retired in 2011. Volunteering with Arlington Animal Services was an easy choice.
It gave her the chance to be involved in the community and fill her time, helping with laundry and cleaning kennels in the animal shelter. But that work could be lonely and repetitive and when she said as much to someone else at the shelter, they had a suggestion.
“She suggested that I look ... into something else involved with a little bit of people and Golden PAWS had just started,” Elliot said.
Golden PAWS launched less than a year before, in 2010, and Elliot now has the longest tenure in the group. It's mainly made up of retired women, though anybody is allowed to join.
The organization turns 15 this year, and Elliot said she and the other members are still as excited about their mission as they were when they first joined.
The group was formed with retired Arlington residents in mind, giving them a place to use skills like sewing, woodworking and pet toy making to create a positive impact in their community.
Most of the work the group does is in sewing together blankets the group takes to craft fairs and sells for a small profit. Some members, like Judy Repman, have brought non-sewing skills to the group. Repman is a woodworker, using her talents to build things like phone holders and bird feeders that sell alongside the blankets.
The toys and blankets also go to the shelter for animals awaiting adoption.
No matter the creation, the money then goes back to the shelter, and members get to decide what it’s used for. This year the group decided to put toward heartworm screening, prevention and treatment, according to the city.
Brittany Clark, the administrative coordinator for animal services, said heartworm prevention and treatment is not only important and expensive, it’s especially necessary in Texas.
“I think a lot of people don't either know that when they move into Texas, or they're just not educated on that,” Clark said. “Mosquitoes are awful in Texas and that's how it's transmitted."
There’s not a lot of physically intensive work, but there’s still a lot to do. Elliot said it takes countless hours to prepare the blankets she helps sew and it can get tough on her hands at times.
But said she’s stuck around because of the people in the organization, the chance to support animals in the shelter and because it allows her to put some of her talents to use.
It’s the same for Repman, who joined after retirement. Her wooden creations are colorful and made to last, something she said makes them popular at the craft fairs.
Repman said she would be making bird feeders, phone holders and other wooden trinkets and goods whether she was a Golden PAWS member or not.
“I wouldn't know where to go with it so it gives me something to do and keeps me happy and off the streets and I just enjoy Golden PAWS,” Repman said during the group’s meeting, a roguish smile on her face when she talks about staying “off the streets.”
The craft fairs are a big part of the fun for both Repman and Elliot. The group spends a day before the fair starts setting up their stall on a foldable plastic table then sells the blankets for barely more than the cost of the material.
Those blankets range from small little squares for the little dogs to “people-sized” blankets and everything in between, Repman said.
On top of getting to see people admire their work, the interactions with fairgoers are a fun way to meet new people and feel more connected to their community.
The members say they’re not exactly extroverted most of the time, but when it comes to Golden PAWS they come out of their shells. Especially when they get to meet people at the craft shows.
“I'm not, surprisingly, an outgoing person, naturally,” Elliot said. “But it's fun to hear people compliment on things you've done, blankets you've made, or someone else has done. And we'll say, ‘Yes, I did that. I'm helping some poor little dog keep from being so cold.’ ”
She said other creations, like snuffle pads that allow people to hide treats for dogs or cats to find, help keep pets busy. It’s especially useful for cats because it can help prevent them from digging their claws into a couch or mattress.
Repman said the group is always looking for new members, and there’s no age limit. Men and women of all ages can join. Even children under 18 can join and participate, as long as they have permission from (and are accompanied by) a parent.
Elliot said anybody who has a positive attitude, respects other people and isn't afraid of a little work is welcome to join. Even if they don't have any craft skills, Elliot said she can teach just about anybody to sew and cut fabric in a straight line.
For people who can’t spare the time but want to support Golden PAWS, Clark said the group is facing new challenges with the closure of Joann Fabrics. They’re still not sure where they’ll get material for new blankets so donations of anti-pill fleece fabric would be a a big help.
Golden PAWS will be selling its creations at three fairs in October: the Aging Well Expo at Esports Stadium Arlington on Oct. 14, the Martin Craft Fair at Martin High School Oct. 18 and Wag-o-Ween at Arlington Animal Services on Oct. 25.
Got a tip? Email James Hartley at jhartley@kera.org. You can follow James on X @ByJamesHartley.
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