Church sewing group makes "packages of love" for newborns at Cox Branson

While every package is a little bit different, everyone in the group will tell you one thing’s for certain: There’s love in every stitch.

“We sit here at our sewing machines and hold those babies in our hearts,” said Janet Oziah, one of the group’s members. “I don’t have a lot of money, but what I can give is my time to create something to make mommies and their babies happy.”

Each package of love contains a handmade blanket, hat, toy and a couple of outfits. The ladies then deliver the packages to Cox Medical Center Branson and Cox Monett Hospital.

“We just send our love everywhere,” said Evelyn Wilson, the group’s leader. “That’s what it is, pure love. We think of those babies as we sew, and that’s our reward on Earth.”

The group, which has almost 30 members, delivered more than 250 packages last year and are on track to send even more in 2017. Even though what they do is special, the women agree that being recognized for their work isn’t what’s important to them.

“This isn’t about us,” said Phyllis Schmitt as she measures fabric for a blanket. “Everything we do is for those little ones. We are here for them.”