The autumn season marks a newness in the air with a new school year, a new season, a new start to activities, but most importantly, a great time to try something new. But sometimes, it may be daunting or you may need some guidance and tips or you just don’t want to go at it alone. Well then, the solution I propose is looking no further than our community centres!
Drop In Craft Night - West Arthur Community Centre
Like the new school year, September marks the return of the Weekly Drop In Craft Nights at West Arthur Community Centre. For just $2.00 a session, you can come by the centre on Wednesdays from 7PM-9PM, bring your craft or project of choice, and work alongside other community crafters.
“It’s a time for people to gather with each other and do something fun and creative,” says Brayden Cassidy, Community Program Developer for the City of Thunder Bay. “It’s an opportunity for them to sort of socialize and learn different skills from one another in a comfortable, welcoming environment.”
Socialization and a shared love of learning and art are the pillars of these weekly drop-ins. From a quilt to a painting, all activities are welcome. While the Centre currently does not supply equipment for many crafts, they just acquired a Cricut machine for people to use for their projects, bring their own vinyl to work on, or purchase some from the Centre and play away!
While the event itself is a regular occurrence, Cassidy also encourages others to keep an eye out on the West Arthur Community Centre’s Facebook Page for one-off workshops throughout the year such as rock painting, card making, or mixed media. Community and connection are, for Cassidy, an important part as to why artistic events such as the Drop-In Craft Night are important. Whether we need some help on a project and want to go to someone for help, or just learn more about a skill, or resources in Thunder Bay, Drop-In Craft night is more than just a stepping stone into a new hobby. But a warm welcome into a new space, friendships, and gifts.
“[Drop-In Craft Night] gives folks an opportunity to socialize. It’s something that people may do as a weekly thing, or maybe they just do it once a month, but it’s something that keeps everybody sort of connected and in communication with each other,” says Cassidy. “Specifically with older adults to keep them engaged with the community. But from a crafting perspective, it gives you a great opportunity to actually learn new skills and maybe broaden your creative horizons. See what other people are working on, and maybe that inspires you to, next week, bring some supplies and maybe, do what they were doing and learn from them as well, which ends up creating a sort of grassroots level of learning from each other. If somebody starts talking to someone and says, “Hey, would you mind showing me how to do that,” then it creates a casual way of passing knowledge and skills to one another. And I think that’s pretty cool.”
Check out the community centre Facebook page West Arthur Community Centre or visit thunderbay.ca/westarthur for more information.
Neebing Needlers - Vickers Heights Community Centre
Just on Broadway Avenue is the Vickers Heights Community Centre, home of the Neebing Needlers! A group of crafty quilters, sewers, embroiders, and more, who meet every Wednesday afternoon from 1PM-3PM.
“We often just sit around at a big square table and work on whatever we’re working on, talk, but share ideas,” says Deb Maki, a member of the Community Centre who happenstance is now the unofficial organizer of the Neebing Needlers. “We do a few collaborative projects, but it also provides space for somebody working on a big quilt, it provides space for them to lay it out and work with it that way.”
Aside from their cool alliterative name, the Neebing Needlers are a welcoming group who love to work on anything that involves creating. Some people will do handwork such as quilts, knitting, embroidery or crocheting, while others bring their sewing machines and join in on the fun and camaraderie of making art with each other.
“We like to show each other the work that we’re doing,” says Maki. “If somebody comes up with a new trick, or a new way to do things, or something new, anything new and interesting, they can show it, and the others will learn from it. We’ll answer questions. It’s good for new newcomers to a craft because there’s always somebody there that knows how to do whatever you need help with.”
A sense of community and pride in helping others goes beyond just showing some tips and tricks. The group has done some past projects where everybody works on a quilt or placemats to donate to a local organization. Other than that, it is mostly just individual projects and people coming together to share their love of crafting handiwork with each other.
“It’s on a drop in basis. There’s no fee or anything involved. We have about 12, maybe 15 regulars, but others are welcome to come and just drop in for one day and see what we’re doing, or if they have a question, they could just walk in and somebody will help them. Whatever kind of artwork you decide or needlework you decide that you want to do, somebody will start to help you,” says Maki.
For more information, visit www.thekeytbay.ca and find Vickers Heights Community Centre under the City of Thunder Bay and Community Centre tabs.
