By Chelsea Kibbe-Kremer

I find that without intention, leisure and recreation can easily be lost by the wayside through the process of “adulting.” Our lives and minds are in full motion – work, school, volunteering, relationships, and technology can easily captivate the forefront of our waking hours unless we choose to move through life intentionally. As a Mentor, I set aside time for crafting to help balance daily responsibilities with a hobby.

Once a week I share this passion with Dragonfly students through art group. Students join with ranging skills, abilities, and interests. It is an opportunity for them to slow down and process whatever is going on in their heads. Just last week we had students playing piano and cello while others participated by drawing, knitting, and crocheting. During other groups we sew, collage, and paint.

When I asked the students why they liked coming to art group, one of the students told me that they “see art as a way to help people who struggle to express their thoughts and feelings in a way that words cannot.” Knitting and crocheting has become a staple not only to art group, but for several students during unstructured downtime. This age-old craft teaches us how to have patience with ourselves, rise to a challenge, take risks, and to let go.

Our group recently received donations from the local yarn store, Laize~Dayz Yarn & Tea Shoppe. These supplies are being used to create baby blankets to be donated to Project Linus, which will provide homemade blankets to children in need. While completing this time-intensive project, students are earning volunteer hours towards their work in Dragonfly. We look forward to sharing our finished projects with you!