Smyrna family sews pillowcases for EMMC

Houlton Pioneer Times photograph/Gloria Austin
HARD WORK DISPLAYED — The Lee family display the pillowcases they made for sick children at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor. The family is, from left, Michelle, Elliot, Isaac, Sadie, Hannah, Madelyn and their grandmother Mary Jane Greenlaw.
    When children at Eastern Maine Medical Center lay their heads on their pillows, they may be resting their head on a pillowcase sewn by a local Smyrna family.
    The Lee family took on this project to meet other’s needs.
    “We think it’s something Jesus would do to make children at the hospital happy,” said Hannah, age 11.
    Madelyn, age 10, added, “I think then they will know a total stranger who loves them is praying for them every day.”
    Hannah, Madelyn and their younger sister, Sadie, age 5, along with their brothers Isaac, 8, and Elliot, 3, sewed 110 pillowcases to be sent to the Bangor hospital.
    “Our goal was 100,” said Hannah. But, that number grew a bit larger and with only two pillowcase fabrics exactly alike.
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Gloria Austin
CUTTING IT CLOSE — Hannah Lee works at cutting fabric to make a pillowcase. The Lee family of Smyrna took on a project of making pillowcases for sick children at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.
    The pillowcases were delivered on June 19.
    The pillowcase project was developed when the older Lee girls were making doll quilts for their little sister. They wanted to make something for their brothers, so they decided on pillowcases.
    “They were fun, easy and quick,” said their mother Mitsy.
    The children’s project began in the middle of March and was completed in June. The children are part of the Tuesday Quilters, who meet each Tuesday at the Smyrna/Merrill Historical Society.
    “We just started sewing before Christmas,” said Hannah.
    Right now, the children will be starting squares for sampler quilts with the other quilters. Some of the finished quilts will be given away as comfort quilts. Though the siblings plan to continue sewing projects to benefit others, they are not sure what their next project will be.
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Gloria Austin
IRONING — Madelyn Lee presses out wrinkles on the edging of a piece of fabric. The Lee  children will be starting squares for sampler quilts with the other quilters from the Tuesday Quilters, who meet each Tuesday at the Smyrna/Merrill Historical Society.