Pillowcase Project of Love

Flower Mound, Texas — In the midst of this season of candy hearts and romance, a North Texas mother and daughter are each devoted to a labor of love to bring smiles to cancer patients. Marcus High School senior Christina Wallmann has donated over 100 pillowcases sewn in cheery fabric to local children’s hospitals — and she is still sewing!

“She’s enjoyed doing it, and she’s learned a lot; it’s been a good experience for her. There’s been a lot of things involved beyond just making the pillowcases,” said Jim Wallmann, Christina’s father.

The pillowcases started out as part of a project for her Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE) club at school.  Initially, Christina spent three days teaching Lamar Middle School students a unit on community service, two of which included sewing. Christina and her parents provided fabric kits for the middle schoolers, including instructions and a video. With their help, Christina exceeded her goal of 100 by 20 and in December donated 60 pillowcases each to Children’s Health – Dallas and Children’s Health – Plano (formerly Children’s Medical Center).

Then Medical Center of Lewisville requested pillowcases for adult patients, and the sewing continued. A class at Christina’s high school produced 54 pillowcases; with Christina and her mother’s help, she has 80 pillowcases ready to deliver. Additional donations of fabric from friends, plus a grant from Foundation for Choice will keep Christina sewing for awhile.

Recently, Christina’s mother, Ria Wallmann, was asked to help coordinate efforts for a similar service project being done by the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Unbeknownst to church leaders, Ria had already been helping sew pillowcases for months. Her first reaction was, “Are you kidding me?!”

The pillowcase project fills two purposes, said Margo Merrill, Relief Society President for the Lewisville area, “We want to help children and also bring women together in community service.”

So, for the next six months, Ria will continue to work with pillowcases. Once finished, the pillowcases made by the Relief Society will be delivered to ConKerr Cancer, who will distribute them to local children’s hospitals.

Meanwhile, Christina continues to work on pillowcases. She expects the grand total will reach 300 by her self-imposed April deadline.

“She’s a good kid, and has a soft heart for those who are suffering,” said Ria Wallman.

Christina will be spending Valentine’s Day in Lubbock, presenting her pillowcase project at the state TAFE competition — a fitting date for a girl with such a generous heart.

Contributed by Sharon Cliff