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Friday, Oct. 30, 2009
Merced student's love of sewing helps patients
Mariah Contreras has been able to sew "ever since I learned how to walk and talk," the 17-year-old said this week.
A vibrant Yosemite High School student, Contreras dreams of a degree from Los Angeles' Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising.
Still, her main focus now is pretty simple: four straight, double-hemmed edges.
Merced Sun-Star - PHOTO BY BEA AHBECK
Yosemite High School student Mariah Contreras is creating head scarves for cancer patients.
Contreras is collecting, washing and pressing extra pieces of fabric, then fixing up the edges for an important project: cute and stylish squares that will be given to female cancer patients to use as head scarves.
She does most of the work from her bedroom sewing machine.
"I want to be in design as a career," Contreras said. "This project helps me with my future, but it also helps me to know that I am doing something for the community."
Contreras got the idea from Susan Mahacek, the coordinator of community service programs at Independence and Yosemite high schools.
"Part of the goal of our community service program is to help students gain awareness of needs in our community and ways they can use their talents to improve those needs," Mahacek said. "Mariah found a need and is using her skills to help others."
Through the community service program at East Campus, students can earn one course credit for every 12 hours of service, or an honor cord for their graduation ceremony.
Mahacek pitched the scarf-making idea to Contreras during a regular class meeting.
In the last few weeks, Contreras has finished a half-dozen of them in styles from silky and deep red to bright and sheer blue flowers.
Once completed, the scarves will be taken to a hospice program.
"I like to think that this will make the patients' lives a little bit better," Contreras said. "I'll do as many as I can."
Her grandmother, a former tailor, has donated all the fabric so far, but now Contreras wants more.
Mahacek has agreed to open her office as a center to collect more fabric donations.
To donate, contact Mahacek at (209) 385-6515 or smahacek@muhsd.k12.ca.us. Squares of fabric should be at least 31 inches on all sides for the project.
Reporter Danielle E. Gaines can be reached at (209) 385-2407 or dgaines@mercedsun-star.com.
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