CORTLAND — Ladies from the My Brothers’ Keeper Quilt Group meet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Friday at the Dryden United Methodist Church to make sleeping bags out of recycled fabrics.

The only thing that stops them is when Dryden schools are closed due to weather. The group has made more than 4,000 bags to distribute for free.

Cortland connection

At first they were being distributed in Syracuse and Ithaca, but not Cortland. Anne Grant contacted Christella Yonta, executive director of United Way for Cortland County for help with connection.

“They were taking their sleeping bags to the Syracuse rescue mission and Ithaca and just did not seem to have a connection or outlet in Cortland and they figured there’s places that can use them,” Yonta said. “There are people that need them.”

The United Way unites resources of donors and businesses and programs to those who need it. Through the United Way, the sleeping bag-makers could distribute bags to Family Counseling Services of Cortland County, Cortland City Police Department, the warming center at the Salvation Army, Loaves and Fishes and the Department of Social Services.

It’s not just people on the street who need them, sometimes people have housing and shelter, but not adequate heat.

Through the United Way’s post on Facebook about the bags, Visions Federal Credit Union gifted the group $1,000 JoAnn’s Fabric gift card for a sewing machine and other material.

Putting it together

The church floor is marked with dimensions for each bag. As the items used to create the bags are all recycled material, a member of the group pieces together fabric.

It is then stitched together by sewing machine. Then, it’s turned inside out to hand stitch the outer layer of the bag filled with fleece blankets and other stuffing material. Neckties are stitched to the end for tying it together.

Once the bag is finished, other donated materials are packed inside such as, hygiene products, socks, hats, gloves, scarves and pillow cases depending on availability. The members of the group gathers around and pray: “Lord, take the work of our hands and bless it; and in thy name let the person that receives this gift know that he is loved. Amen.”

The bag is then rolled, tied and set to be distributed. The group is always looking for items such as men’s neckties, clean blankets, sewing needles, thread, sample size toiletries, socks, men’s underwear, hats, gloves and scarves. Cash donations are accepted for deliveries.

Dedicated volunteers

The group in Dryden first gathered in 1992. It is made up of all women who are retired professionals including teachers and nurses and government workers.

Charlene Adams of Freeville learned of the group from her neighbor and joined.

“I always thought the project was a great cause,” Adams said. “Great way to recycle what would otherwise be thrown away.”

Adams has been working on the bags for about six years. She has taken part in distributing them as well.

“It’s rewarding to know that they’re something that’s needed and they’re available,” Adams said.

Shirley Kozlowski of North Lansing has met some of the recipients of the sleeping bags and learned of the effect it can have.

“I was taking bags to the Rescue Mission in Cortland where it used to be near Tops,” Kozlowski said. “I went in and got a shopping cart to bring to my car, opened the trunk, and started putting bags in the shopping cart to carry into the building. I’m watching from the corner of my eye someone’s coming. ‘Are those sleeping bags?’ she said. ‘Somebody gave me a sleeping bag years ago and I opened that bag up and used the socks immediately.’ and she said ‘Right now I’m giving back’ and she showed me her jacket which was a Red Cross. She volunteered at the Red Cross. Somebody gave to her so she was giving to somebody else.”

Kozlowski also recalls a time she went to Reach in Ithaca and a man asked her for one. He had recently moved into his first apartment, but didn’t have anything else.

“It was just neat to see that they were definitely being used,” she said.

Grant joined the group in 1995. She was new in town, her husband had just died and her neighbor invited her.

“I volunteered for dozens of things, but this is the only thing I don’t want to give up,” Grant said. “No matter how sick I am when I get better I want to come here.”