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Gaston County Extension Homemakers

The WUA! “sewing bees” started in 1996 at the Lucille Tatum Home Center in Gaston County, NC, when then second vice-president Laura Smith, Gaston County Extension Homemakers, invited WUA! Coordinator Pat Martin to talk about the program. Enthused about WUA!, group members volunteered to assist the Council in assembling afghans and the sewing bees started. Since that time, Laura has helped organize a sewing bee every year, and encouraged Homemakers' groups from surrounding counties to join the effort.

Individual Homemakers like Inez Smith from the Creative E.H. Club also spread the word about the program, involving more than 20 women from her church circle.

At the conclusion of 1999, Pat Martin estimates that Gaston County Extension Homemakers completed over 2,200 afghans for WUA! The Dallas-Costner Extension Homemakers Club is now working closely with the Gaston County group on the program.

We keep Gaston County Extension Homemakers busy with WUA! They include: (seated l. to r.) Margaret Spener, Linda Jozwaikowski, Alpheus Pasour, (standing l. to r.) Juanita Cannon, Ruby Fraley from the American Red Cross, Laura Smith, Betty Laughlin, Mary Walker and Grace Flowers.

North Carolina Extension Community Association

The North Carolina Extension Community Association (Extension Homemakers) recently adopted WUA! as a special project. This means Association members, Extension Homemakers, will be volunteering their time and talents to assemble Warm Up America! afghans. Thanks to NCECA for joining the WUA! Team.

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