Thanks for caring, Lois Sewell! Volunteer, Arlington Weaves, ServiceSource

  • Posted on: 19 June 2018
  • By: mtucker@leaderc...

Lois Sewell, a recipient of Volunteer Arlington’s Lifetime of Service Award, has been volunteering with the Arlington Weaves, Etc. group since 1988.  Yes, you read that right, 30 years! 

The Arlington Weaves program supports roughly a dozen adult artisans who have various intellectual and developmental disabilities; who are all incredibly talented at the unique art of weaving.  Lois comes in every single Tuesday for 3 to 4 hours to assist the artisans with “finishing” off their creations (i.e. scarves, placemats, handbags, etc.) She cuts, fixings any loose threading, ties off products, washes, irons, and really anything else the product needs to be in top condition in order to make top dollar from the sale.  On average she volunteers for close to 200 hours a year, which over the course of 30, totals nearly 6,000 hours of service given to the mission.

Lois has made a significant impact on both the organization and the community over her three decades of service.  First and foremost, she has been a pillar of stability and face of consistency for the adult peers that she serves through her volunteer work.  They know that no matter what agency ultimately supports the program; Lois will be there every Tuesday to assist them.  For anyone, there is comfort in knowing that you can count on someone, but for those with many disabilities, consistency is imperative to ensure positive experiences.

She has dedicated close to half her life to serving individuals with disabilities just out of the goodness of her heart and in today’s busy world with people constantly moving from one place to the next; this is an uncommon occurrence if not one that would be considered rare.

Thanks for caring, Lois!