Women in Brown Deer are trying to show kids in rough situations they can be their own superheroes.
When women find themselves in shelters because of domestic violence or sex trafficking, their children often come with them. Carolyn Mitchell and Dorothy Protz with the Brown Deer Junior Woman’s Club are making superhero capes.
“We’re just trying to decide whether to go with the navy blue or the white for the background,” says Mitchell, director of the Lakeshore District Junior Clubs. “I’ve got some white fabric here that we could use, and I think, maybe we’re doing one in each!”
Woman’s Clubs are all about doing good in the community. Typically, the Brown Deer Junior Woman’s Club does a lot of fundraising, but the pandemic made it hard to host those types of events. Mitchell and Protz say this project was a great way to do hands-on work.
“The whole purpose is to give of yourself,” says Protz, president of the Brown Deer Junior Woman’s Club.
The capes will go to kids living in shelters with their moms. When the rest of the club found out, they jumped to action.
“I had five women, who, without the blink of an eye said, ‘I’ll bring my machine over and we’ll sew,’” says Mitchell.
Protz says she’s not much of a sewer, but everyone has something they can give.
“So, I leave the sewing to those that are skilled and I’m the presser with ironing and turning seams and trimming seams,” she says.
Brown Deer isn’t the only club making these capes. It was a statewide push that resulted in more than 350! Suzanne Hooser, Junior Director-Elect for the General Federation of Woman’s Clubs in Wisconsin, is very proud of all the club members.
“Such imaginations and their hard work,” she says. “Some of them got their grandchildren involved and donating capes and helping out. It’s wonderful.”
Mitchell and Dorothy just hope the kids who get these capes will smile.
“We’re just hoping they can put these capes on and become their own superhero,” Mitchell says. “And do anything that they want to do.”
“If we can contribute to that by giving them a cape, I think that’s it,” Protz says.
So we asked – are Dorothy and Carolyn also superheroes? Maybe just with invisible capes?
“Volunteers don’t need to be rewarded for what they do,” says Protz. “So I guess you could say that we have invisible capes on all the time because we’re feeling that we make a difference.”
