Dressmaker helping kids in Africa, Philippines

Ruthie Ratke knows she'll have to get her sewing machine blazing at high speed if she wants to reach her goal of making 1,000 pillowcase dresses to send to needy children in Africa and the Philippines by Thanksgiving.

Ratke, a professional seamstress, initiated her project as a ministry through Hosanna! Lutheran Church in St. Charles.

“The project is going good, but not going as fast as I would like, said Ratke, who owns A Thimble Change at 1303 W. Main St. in St. Charles.

As of last week, Ratke had made only 100 dresses and was hoping for an influx of donated supplies and volunteers to sew.

She's getting help from Girl Scouts troops, cheerleading teams, and the St. Charles East fashion design class, which has been collecting new and used pillow cases, narrow double-sided bias tape and half-inch elastic.

“At this rate, I may not reach my goal, but anything we can do for needy kids is a good thing, Ratke said. “Each dress takes me only 20 minutes, so if we get the donations and some extra help, I am still hoping to make 1,000 dresses.

Ratke will teach a class in how to make the dresses at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Hosanna! Lutheran, at Red Gate and Randall Roads.

Persons who would like to help with supplies or sewing can contact Ratke at (630) 234-4794, or Jenni Carpenter with the high school class at (630) 688-9563.

A solid foundation

With President Barack Obama recently singing the praises of community colleges, it was a perfect time last week to stop in on the “Foundation Friends event at the Onesti Italian Steakhouse in St. Charles.

This gathering of Elgin Community College Foundation members, college trustees and supporters reinforced what the president was saying about the great opportunities awaiting young people.

Brett Lindstrom, the ECC Foundation Board chairman, said the organization is a key in that role, providing “up to 180 chances for opportunity a year with scholarships.

Attendees also got a briefing from ECC President David Sam, who has been instrumental in guiding the college through incredible growth, hitting an all-time high enrollment of 12,000 students this fall.

Sam talked future campus growth with a health careers center, new library, student resource center, multipurpose classroom building and a Public Safety and Sustainability Center for law enforcement and fire safety students.

“Heroes need a place to work, too, Sam said of the public safety center. “We are working with municipalities in the area for the location of this center, and once it is chosen, students in these fields will no longer have to travel all the way to Champaign to be involved in these studies.

Vigil for ribbons

Don't forget the candlelight vigil at 7 p.m. Sunday in front of Geneva City Hall to kick off the city's annual Red Ribbon Week with its anti-drug message.

We all experience frustration when drug problems continue to plague a community, but it's not a pleasant thought to consider what would happen if we gave up that fight.

For its part, the city of Geneva has kept the Red Ribbon initiative in the forefront.

dheun@sbcglobal.net