Meet The Papercrafters

“There are no mistakes”

By Dale Dauten

But…but…there’s still something about getting a handwritten or handmade note in the mail, right? I have a little one here on my desk that was sent to me maybe 20 years ago. It’s just five words: “I’m off to fight giants.” (That note came to me after I suggested that, if you let them, your career will be spent in the tiresome work of dealing with little problems, with life’s gnats and mosquitoes, but that the energy and passion is finding a big problem to do battle with, to seek out a giant. Thus, the note, still sitting out as a reminder to me to heed my own advice.)

What got me thinking about notes and cards was Activities Director Lu Way suggesting I meet the folks who do the Papercrafting Club at Silveridge. So I ventured out to Card Room 5 and encountered a busy and merry group at work creating handmade cards.

“Every year, people wait for my card – they want to see what I’ve come up with.” Toni Maki

“My family tells me that they keep everything I’ve sent them. So I try to make it personal, to connect with what they’re doing. It’s a labor of love.” Susan DeMarchi

“I have a six year-old granddaughter and I have a craft room at home with some drawers just for her. She loves it. It’s something we can do together.” Deanna Riess

Does that make you want to give it a try? I asked the two volunteers who head the group, Diann Szumlas and Valerie Toelle, how someone would go about getting involved. Just show up, they told me, and explained that the room is open for their group from 9-4 on Wednesdays and Fridays and that they were happy to help someone get started. Then, if they enjoy it, they’d pay the $10 membership fee which allows access to supplies and equipment. (Photo: Valerie and Diann)

To provide a sense of what’s involved in the labor-of-love” of card making, Diann and Valerie explained how it usually works. First, you pick a style of card you want to make. Valerie is in charge of keeping a cabinet full of options, a brand called Stampin’ Up, adding new ones each season. These add texture to the paper and/or provide cut-outs to add dimension.

PHOTOS: (1) The cabinet with the many options that are available, each box holding different design choices, (2) Valerie turning a hand-crank to process a card through the machine that adds the design element, and (3) one of Diann’s finished card fronts, created from a flat piece of paper, with the texturing added along with the cutouts that reveal the colored layer added beneath.

Below is one of the handstamp messages for a birthday, followed by one of Diann’s finished get well cards.

Finally, given that there are so many options and so many steps involved, I wondered how often cards got rejected due to some mistake along the way. Valerie laughed and said, “You don’t make mistakes; you create an opportunity to get creative”; and Diann added, You can usually correct it, or do a cover-up.” You have to love the spirit. It even sounds like a good message for the inside of a card: “There are no mistakes, just the opportunity to be creative.”

FROM THE ACTIVITY OFFICE

HAPPY MARCH EVERYONE!!! May the early spring Awaken your soul and Remind you to Celebrate the season with the Hope and joy it brings. We hope everyone has been enjoying the season at Silveridge so far. We can’t believe our season is winding down already. Many states and clubs have had their annual socials. Did you know that getting involved in social activities can help stave off isolation and loneliness. Social activities help people to build connections with others, improve your mood and can help with your physical wellness. So get up off your sofa/chair and get out there and come play cribbage or euchre or something else. If you don’t know how to play we will teach you. If we don’t offer an activity that interests you, please stop by my office and let me know what you do like, I’m always willing to listen to new ideas.

Thank you for another fabulous year! We have continued to learn so much. It is only right and proper that we give thanks to all the resident volunteers in our last letter of the year.

Our Volunteer Appreciation dinner will be on Monday, March 10th. Get ready for an evening of laughter. Whether you have sold tickets, at Activities, provided ice and water at the dances, were a leader of a large or small club, or have washed dishes after a food event, You are all equally important!

Every one of you is important!

Equally important are those of you who are new volunteers replacing those who are taking on new goals or moving on to other opportunities. Thank you to those who have served for years and thank you for our new courageous leaders. The way you learn is by doing and we have so many mentors to guide the way.

A special thank you to Jerry Colling and Tracy Gagnier and all the kitchen volunteers who bring such meaning to “Food, Fellowship and Fun” for us. Our meals were delicious and the desserts for dinner shows your out of this world.

Another special thank you to Rob and Amy Foy who combined put in more than 300 hours running the theater, projections and sound for concerts and dinner shows and Dive-In movies nights. They are always ready to lend a hand.

We are busy planning for next year’s activities and entertainment that you will love! We have a couple of new bands next season. Watch for my summer newsletter online with a listing of entertainment and outfits to bring. Our Ticket Order List will be online by September. Once again you will be able to order tickets on October 1st. Payment must be included at the time we process your order.

May you all have a safe and healthy summer.

Rest up and before you know it, we will all be back to celebrate and have more fun in the sun.

“The Friendliest Park in the West.”

-LU & Sylvia