Originally published August 22, 2007 at 12:00 AM | Page modified August 22, 2007 at 11:23 AM
Everett
In prison, new life is pieced together
Inmates at the Washington Corrections Center for Women donated nearly 40 quilts and stuffed animals to children at Providence Children's...
Times Snohomish County Bureau
Inmates at the Washington Corrections Center for Women donated nearly 40 quilts and stuffed animals to children at Providence Children's Center at the Pavilion for Women and Children last week, giving away brightly colored bears and lavishly decorated quilts, all handmade.
Mary Rehberg, a community corrections officer, said she got involved with the program when she first toured the Purdy, Pierce County, facility and saw inmates hard at work.
"It was really interesting to see the women and the charity and the projects," she said, adding, "I said, 'Oh, they need materials! They need all kinds of things!' "
So Rehberg hunts for scrap cloth at garage sales and craft-supply stores, stuffing her haul into big bags and then into the back of her Jeep. The cloth is eventually transformed into stuffed animals and quilts, sewn with care by inmates at the WCCW, and donated to charities across the state.
Inmates at the WCCW work with approximately 35 charities, Rehberg said — in 2006, inmates donated more than 3,000 items.
The charity work is part of the transitional process. It's more than just housing and education, Rehberg said, explaining that the charity work also helps them feel more engaged.
"It's important to them to feel like they're giving back to their communities," she said. "They have kids, they have families. ... They're not just these isolated individuals out there."
Cheri Russum, public-relations manager for Providence Hospital Medical Center agreed, saying the program created a bridge between the inmates and the Children's Center patients — to spend so much time and expend such efforts on work they won't see distributed is an act of incredible generosity, Russum said.
The Children's Center patients, many of whom suffer from neurodevelopmental issues, often come from families that lack the means for gifts, and Russum said their bright colors and craftsmanship make the quilts and stuffed animals a big hit .
"I don't know that all of them even understood the concept of a free gift, and where it came from," Russum said with a laugh, "but it was theirs, and they were thrilled."
Linda Shen: 425-745-7812 or lshen@seattletimes.com
Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company

2009 fireworks time lapse
With strict parking rules enforced at this year's July 4th celebration on Wallingford Ave North, less cars and more spectators filled the streets.
Entertainment | Top Video | World | Offbeat Video | Sci-Tech
shopping

events for Sunday, Jul. 5th
- IKEA Summer Sale
- REI Summer Sale and Clearance
- Seattle Premium Outlets July 4th Summ...
- Kibbn Storewide Summer Sale
editors' picks
More shopping guides- Plasma and LCD beware; OLED screens ready to go mainstream
- Landmark Smith Tower mostly vacant
- Former NFL MVP McNair killed
- Russell Branyan, Mariners fight off the Red Sox
- Property taxes: Appeals shoot up in King, Snohomish Counties
- Palin takes to Web for hints of political future
- Fourth of July festivals and fireworks in Seattle, the suburbs and beyond
- Palin links resignation to 'higher calling' and blasts media in Facebook posting
- Hard times for tourist towns means good deals for travelers
- The Blotter | Man pistol-whipped after argument at nightclub
- Palin resigning as Alaska governor
786 - Seattle Mariners at Boston Red Sox: 07/05 game thread
247 - Palin links resignation to 'higher calling' and blasts media in Facebook posting
164 - Hatred for the NBA runs deep, but don't take it out on the players
131 - Tukwila residents rally against light-rail noise
118 - Former NFL MVP McNair killed
112 - Property taxes: Appeals shoot up is King, Snohomish Counties
103 - Tent City on campus: UW stalls decision
95 - Anti-tax rally in Olympia attracts about 1,500
63 - Seeking your questions
49
- Plasma and LCD beware; OLED screens ready to go mainstream
- Property taxes: Appeals shoot up in King, Snohomish Counties
- Merchant Marine veterans fight for recognition
- Hard times for tourist towns means good deals for travelers
- Landmark Smith Tower mostly vacant
- Close-up | Prison guards intercept carrier pigeon with a cellphone
- Amtrak cleared for 2nd daily train to Vancouver, B.C.
- Tent City on campus: UW stalls decision
- Pre-grill drill: marinate steaks
- Concert Review | Green Day blasts off 4th weekend with KeyArena show
