Camby couple quilts 182 stockings to make Damar kids' holidays brighter

CAMBY

Last winter, Lacee Volz's son was admitted to Damar Services' residential campus for help managing his autism, and she found herself with extra time on her hands.

"We visit Damar a lot, and one of the hardest things is seeing the kids who don't have families," said Volz. "Some do, and they get to go home for visits, but many do not."

One day, her compassion spurred an idea. Volz ran across a quilted stocking pattern and decided she'd devote some of her newfound time to make stockings for every one of the 125 kids on campus.

"Every child is unique," said Volz. "Because of that, I didn't want them all to have the same stockings. So, each is handmade and one-of-a-kind."

When her husband, Bernie, wasn't working his full-time job, he helped too. From their Camby home, Volz cut fabric and sewed the stockings, and her husband made the cuffs and handles.

They set out to make and fill 125 stockings, but ended up making 182 so that everyone living at group homes could have a stocking, too. They made the last 30 over a three-day weekend.

This Christmas will be different for the Volzes. Not only will they be filled with the joy of knowing they made Christmas morning a little brighter for 182 people, but they also will enjoy the day with their son, whose behaviors prevented him from being home last Christmas.

The Volzes credit their son's time at Damar for making the difference, and with allowing them to see a new, positive future for him. His aggression has stopped and his negative behaviors are subsiding. One day, he may be able to help them make quilts. He's already started by using his own sewing machine.