PORT TOWNSEND — The Easter bunny has come and gone, but on Wednesday, five baskets of goodies were delivered to the Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Program office.
Instead of chocolate and candy eggs, each basket held a brightly colored broom, paper towels and pot holders, measuring cups and a mop.
“Everyone loves the flyswatter,” said Dawn Powers, holding up a swatter with a giant flower on the back.
Powers is a member of First Presbyterian Church’s Presbyterian Women, whose members created the baskets as “home-warming” presents for women leaving the Port Townsend shelter.
The idea — to provide basic items that the women starting up a new household need but can’t afford.
“This fills a huge gap,” said Beulah Kingsolver, program manager. “This is one of the things we have struggled to give our women.”
The shelter, named Pat’s Promise after the donor, houses 12 women, most of whom arrive with only a suitcase of clothes for themselves and their children.
While there, Kingsolver helps them find new housing, either in the community or other location.
But after paying deposits and moving expenses, the women sometimes return to the shelter with requests.
“They’ll come back and say, ‘I need some toilet paper,’ or ‘Can you give me a mop?'” Kingsolver said.
“It’s not hard to give them a roll of toilet paper, but all the things together — it’s been a dream of ours to do this.”
The idea for making the baskets started last October, when Cheryl Bozarth, director of the program, was the guest speaker at the Presbyterian Women’s meeting.
According to group moderator Margie Gormly, the women had collected sample bottles of toiletries for shelter residents in the past.
But hearing about this need, they decided to adopt it as a mission project.
“We wanted something local, so when Cheryl talked to us about this need, it seemed perfect,” Gormly said.
Miriam Circle was the first to create a basket, Gormly said.
Then last week, Presbyterian Women from the whole presbytery, which covers north Puget Sound, met at First Presbyterian and voted to give half the offering to the basket project.
“It was $220,” Gormly said. “That bought four baskets.”
Each basket cost between $50 and $60, Gormly said, noting that many of the items were purchased at a dollar store.
They include inexpensive things like matches, a can opener, plastic containers for leftovers, cleaning supplies and paper products.
“I know two or three of these will go out pretty quickly,” Kingsolver said.
Powers is also creating a book to go with each basket that has directions for making green-cleaning products, inexpensive recipes and inspirational thoughts about housekeeping.
A Port Townsend dentist, Dr. Clark Sturdivant, donated toothbrushes and toothpaste, Gormly said.
Many civic groups donate gifts for shelter residents and their children on holidays, Kingsolver said, so receiving the baskets, with the brooms and mops “blooming”out of them, was like Christmas in April.
“They are so beautiful and spring-like,” Kingsolver said.
The Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Program will break ground May 1 for Dove House, which will provide transitional housing and program space, Bozarth said.
The Presbyterian Women also raise money to support First Presbyterian Church mission projects, including building weatherproof houses for residents of Santa Elena, El Salvador.
________
Port Townsend/Jefferson County reporter-columnist Jennifer Jackson can be reached at jjackson@olypen.com.
