AURORA, Ill., Dec. 15, 2020 — Dolls aren’t just for little kids.

On Tuesday, Dec. 15, women of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Aurora presented six handsewn clothing outfits, linens and a mattress for two American Girl-style comfort dolls to Bickford of Aurora assisted living and memory care facility.

St. Mark’s congregants Clare Toynton and Karen Lorence, both Aurorans, presented the dolls to Renee Cerveny of Bickford.  The presentation took place outside at the assisted living center due to the pandemic.

Lorence coordinated the sewing project by St. Mark’s Naomi Circle, a church women’s group. She said, “Each of these dolls is really ready to go and enrich the life of memory impaired seniors!”

St. Mark’s seamstresses gathered at Lorence’s Aurora home and at the North Aurora home of Peggy Shields to sew clothing outfits and dresses from pillowcases.

Other circle members are Arlene Flynn, Aurora; Priscilla Offhaus and Sandy Matile, Montgomery; Martha Egeland, Sugar Grove; Barb Price, Yorkville; Bonnie Shields, North Aurora; and Dinah Meyers, Oswego.

According to Lorence, “St. Mark’s Church used to have an angel tree where they would post the names of needy children and we would buy gifts for those children. Because of the COVID crisis, we are no longer able to do that and instead are donating money for their group leaders to buy gifts.

“Several of us also made doll clothes for two 18-in American Girl look-alike dolls. Each doll is complete with a mattress, linens and six outfits for little girls to play with.

“I suggested giving them to a memory care facility in town. I remember visiting my mother-in-law at an assisted living facility where a woman in a wheelchair carried a little baby doll with her wherever she went.

“So I asked Bickford if they would be interested in getting two dolls and doll outfits to be used in memory care. They were excited about it and this is what we are doing this year,” Lorence said.

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Al Benson

Freelance Photo-Journalist

Al Benson is an Aurora-based freelance photo-journalist. He is currently an archives research specialist at Aurora University. His work has appeared in The Voice, The Daily Herald, The Beacon-News, and the Chicago Tribune.