NOTE: This story has been updated to include information about the next scheduled Dress A Girl Southern CT event.

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Several dozen women adroitly tackled the task of sewing simple dresses for at-risk Third World girls at a Dress A Girl Sew-A-Thon on Saturday, April 27, in the Great Hall at Newtown Congregational Church, creating more than 120 colorful dresses during the event.

With modern sewing machines in hand, the women deftly fabricated the dresses in two basic styles — sleeveless sundresses and T-shirt dresses, said Liz Skarzynski of Dress-A-Girl Southern Connecticut.

Dress A Girl Around the World is a campaign of Hope 4 Women International, a nonprofit organization intended to bring dignity to woman around the world since 2006. Hope 4 Women International is a non-denominational independent Christian organization.

So far this year, four sew-a-thons have been held in southern Connecticut churches, with another five sessions planned. Ms Skarzynski, coordinator of Monroe Dress A Girl Around the World, said that April 27 was the first time that a sew-a-thon was held in Newtown.

Ms Skarzynski said the dresses made by the women will be sent to needy girls in places such as Haiti, Guatemala, Jamaica, and Uganda, among other Caribbean and African locations.

The five-hour session brought together sewers and other volunteers to create the dresses from cotton fabric. The participants brought their own sewing machines to the event. Instructions were provided on how the create the dresses. Lunch was provided for participants.

Next Event Announced

Dress A Girl Southern Connecticut has announced its next sew-a-thon supporting Dress A Girl Around The World. The group will be at Monroe Congregational Church, 34 Church Street in Monroe, on Saturday, May 11, from 10 am until 3 pm.

This will be the fifth of nine events by local coordinators for 2019. All sewers and those who want to help are invited.

Ms Skarzynski says she and others involved in the effort “dream of a world in which every girl has at least one new dress. We want girls to know that they are worthy and respected and that they are loved by God.”

Sew-a-thons, said Ms Skarzynski, offer “a fun afternoon of sewing, learning, and getting to know new people and reuniting with friends.”

Call Ms Skarzynski 203-257-7174 to register and for additional information.

For those who would like to help but cannot attend, there are several ways to contribute:

*Donate cotton fabric to help make the dresses;

*Ask for a dress kit to make one or more at home; or

*Donate tax deductible funds to Hope For Women International, PO Box 14, Forest City IA 50436, or online at [naviga:u]dressagirlaroundtheworld.com/donate[/naviga:u].

Dress A Girl Southern Connecticut is partnering with Sacred Heart’s Global Health Programs & Health Science Program in Fairfield and Heart 2 Heart, Hand N Hand in Grants Pass, Ore., to help distribute the dresses made locally to girls all over the world.

The local chapter is also planning to donate 500 dresses to First Baptist Church Wallingford for its Dominica Republic Mission in June.

Remaining 2019 Dress A Girl Southern Connecticut events also include June 1, The Congregational Church of Easton, 336 Westport Road in Easton; September 21, Monroe Congregational Church; October 19, The United Methodist Church of Monroe, 515 Cutlers Farm Road in Monroe; and November 2, Monroe Congregational Church.

Contact Ms Skarzynski for details about or registration for those events as well. Churches and other groups interested in hosting a sew-a-thon are also encouraged to contact Ms Skarzynski.