Scrap-a-thon puts all the pieces together

Kristen Walter, Brenda Leibowitz and her daughter, Hannah, enjoying a day of scrapbooking at last year's Scrap-A-Thon, March 20, 2010. Photo by Ginny Hole, courtesy of the South Windsor Junior Women's Club. - Contributed Photo

The South Windsor Junior Women’s Club is hosting a scrap-booking event on Saturday, March 19, at the Unity Church of Greater Hartford, located at 919 Ellington Road in South Windsor.  Pre-registration is required.  The scrap-a-thon will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and includes a wholesome lunch.  The cost is $30 for the full day and $15 for a half-day session, either in the morning from 9 a.m. to 12:30 or in the afternoon from 1:30 to 5 p.m.

The South Windsor Junior Women’s Club is a non-profit, tax-exempt community-service based organization for women of all ages.  Club members volunteer to work on various project committees, including the arts, conservation, current affairs, education, health, home life and the state project.  SWJWC raises funds to support these community projects, as well as its scholarships.

“We’re hoping to raise $1,000 and have 40 participants,” said SWJWC past president Brenda Liebowitz.  She described the scrap-a-thon as a day to stay busy scrap-booking or to just take a day to organize crafting supplies.  Liebowitz also mentioned that it is a great way to share ideas and try out different equipment and techniques. “Everyone’s always willing to help.”

This year, the project sponsored by the state Junior Women’s Club is Covenant to Care for Children.  On the day of the scrap-a-thon, participants are encouraged to donate toiletry items for children who must leave their homes and be placed elsewhere.  The toiletries can be either full- or travel-sized.

According to the current SWJWC president, Sue Gerrich, “A lot of the club members are scrap-bookers, so we know the extras that make the event successful.” Participants will have plenty of work space and will also be able to use special equipment during the scrap-a-thon, such as a cricut cutter, or slice, for special computerized cuts.

Gerrich will run the “make and take” table, which provides an opportunity to try a new technique with the supplied materials.  “We provide a pretty-good goodie bag for such a small event,” added Gerrich.  The goodie bag includes useful items for scrap-booking. There will be raffles of scrap-book related items, as well as from local businesses.

The scrap-a-thon will also give people a chance to meet with local home-based scrap-booking companies, such as Close to My Heart and Creative Memories.  There will also be a local jewelry maker and Tupperware.

Registration for the scrap-a-thon can be completed by sending payment to the South Windsor Junior Women’s Club at PO Box 507, South Windsor, Conn., 06074.  Please be sure to include name, telephone number, email address and whether the registration is for the full day, morning half session or the afternoon half session.  Information can also be received by calling Brenda Liebowitz at 860-644-4985 or via email at info@swjwc.org.

On April 22, the South Windsor Junior Women’s Club will run its annual Kid’s Fair, in conjunction with the South Windsor Egg Hunt.  The family-event will be held at the South Windsor High School and will include children’s games, crafts, face-painting, food and raffles.  For more information, visit the website at swjwc.org.