LETTERS

efficiently, leaving wounds the most talented surgeon cannot fix. This is not about the Constitution; this is about our constitution. We must be bold and take major steps to protect our community. In 2020, in this free country, guns surpassed auto accidents to become the #1 killer of children. Our leaders must stop this monster in its tracks so that Coloradans just like Jody, Alex, Raymond and Kendrick live a long and free life.

and joined the local work group there.

e importance of the nonpro t’s work resonated with Williams after an interaction she had with a stranger a number of years ago, she said.

“I was still up in Aurora, out buying onesies and things for our (goodie) bags so that we could deliver onesies and diapers and things, and a lady was standing behind me at the cash register,” Williams said.

e woman asked her what she was buying the materials for, to which Williams began to explain Warm Hearts Warm Babies.

“And she stopped me and she said, ‘ en, I need to thank you, because my daughter just had a baby at the hospital and it was wintertime and … we had nothing to bring that baby home in. And I told the nurses and they brought us one of your bags,’” Williams said.

“And so that keeps me going,” she continued. “I think about that and that keeps me going and seeing how important it is, the work we do.”

Fostering community

Materials for making items and assembling the layettes are stored in the nonpro t’s building, based in Arvada, which is nicknamed “ e Baby House.”

Among the volunteers who gathered at the building that Friday was Glenda Bredeson, an Arvada resident who has been a part of the organization since 1999.

Over time, the nonpro t has gradually grown and expanded in di erent areas of Colorado, said Bredeson, vice president of the nonpro t’s board.

Volunteering for the nonpro t has become a family a air, as Bredeson’s 18-year-old granddaughter, Eleanor Morris, worked alongside Bredeson in e Baby House.

“I remember volunteering here when I was a little girl,” Morris said, explaining she and her cousins would help assemble goodie bags. “I’ve always loved it.”

Since then, she began crocheting and knitting items to donate.

“She was thrilled when she made her rst two baby hats and brought them in,” Bredeson said.

Although Morris lives in Virginia, she visits when she can and also plans to still create items to donate and ship them to the nonpro t.

“I was so excited just to be here and volunteer because I grew up always coming here. Every time I visited, I would be here, and it was just amazing,” she said.

One of Bredeson’s favorite parts of the nonpro t is the people. Vickie Lutz, an Arvada resident who began volunteering for the organization in 2020, agreed and said that’s true for most of the volunteers.

Lutz said the nonpro t has incredibly talented volunteers. She showed o intricate blankets, toys and clothing items in e Baby House that volunteers spent hours creating.

Challenges and goals e talent of the volunteers isn’t just for mak-

Representative Daugherty, please vote YES on HB 1230.

Emily Farr, Arvada

In response to Fabyanic’s “Phubbing” column

Thanks Arvada Press for Jerry Fabyanic’s recent editorial “Phubbing: A social disease.” This reminder of my own years in technical education and what I’ve seen USA young go through with other evolutionary technologies advancements is significant. These advances do cause needs; for better Citizenship, communal participations and learning how to make each community functional ing impressive items, though — it can also be applied toward teaching younger people the craft. e need for more younger volunteers is a challenge the nonpro t faces.

“Eleanor came to us. She didn’t know how to knit or crochet, and now she’s phenomenal at it. ere are so many people here that are willing to teach,” Lutz said.

“We’re all older, and it’s just not going to be sustainable if we don’t get young people,” Lutz said.

Powis said the organization also needs more volunteers who will sew.

“ e last couple of months, unfortunately, we’ve had to cut back. We’ve had to cut back on the clothes,” Powis said. “We were sending out two out ts. Now it’s down to one.”

Before COVID-19, the nonpro t was able to have a backup supply of clothing, she said. Now, the organization is scraping by, month by month, due to losing a lot of active members.

On top of the need for volunteers, there are also nancial pressures.

“Our donations have gone down drastically over the last couple of years,” Powis said. “And again, our volunteers and the items coming in have really gone down — but the need is still the same — more, more.” e nonpro t creates 125 to 150 layettes every month, Powis said. e main goal she has for this year is getting enough donations of money and items to continue the nonpro t’s work.

To help raise funds to pay for costs such as rent, volunteers will create items to sell at various craft shows. e nonpro t is also one of the charities that people can select as part of the King Soopers Community Rewards program.

As the grant coordinator, Williams plans to work this year on nding new areas to get donations and support, she said. She noted that Sue Lee, cofounder of the nonpro t Sock It To ‘Em Sock Campaign, has helped by not only donating socks to Warm Hearts Warm Babies but also in providing connections to other people.

“ ere are other organizations out there that would love to have us help them, but at this point, we can’t go out and look for more agencies. But I know they’re there — I know there’s more mamas that could use the help,” she said. “I would (like) not only to be able to help who we have, but also for it to grow and help more.” ere are a variety of ways that community members can support Warm Hearts Warm Babies, Williams explained.

“Even if people don’t sew or … they don’t crochet, but they can help in, you know, at e Baby House or they can help in collecting donations for us — do a donation drive for us in their schools or their churches — to help us so that we can continue to help these mothers and babies and give them a good start in life,” Williams said.

Powis encouraged people to reach out to the nonpro t and come visit them. ose interested in learning more about Warm Hearts Warm Babies can visit warmheartswarmbabies.org.

“We’re a world that needs to be more interactive with each other,” Powis said, emphasizing the importance of volunteering. “It’s so good for your soul.” for all’s mutual benefit.

While new societal terminology like “Phubbing” aren’t new with advancing Tech effects, they do point to present societal adaptations and which issues caused should be addressed. American communities have survived other past Social Tech creations like “Cubbing” (PCs) and “Tubbing” (TVs). These other advances issues cause even still more social changes like “streaming” has. Our once protected “Mass Experiences” on our electronic screens now provide unfettered individualized involvements with complete media access given even to the immature.

As stated, “…young people transition from childhood dependency to adulthood self-reliance.” Children are our communities’ life’s blood, and even minor Tech improvements make healthy survival of teens questionable. How young a child is too young or are parents’ direct approvals necessary with all public early educational lessons? Extremely easy to use advanced technology interfaces makes’ parental advice, guidance and guidelines mandatory and an educational right for the betterment of all USA children.

Gary Scofield, Arvada