(courtesy photo)
(courtesy photo)

Members of “St. Catherine’s Angels,” an intergenerational ministry at the Chino Valley Parish, created 12 dozen small Fourth of July-themed crafts for the homebound in their own parish and in the greater community.

The nine-year-old effort fosters a sense of well-being with the homebound and helps keep loneliness and isolation at bay. Holidays can be especially tough. A core group of 10-12 people join the crafting session plus students seeking service hours. The crafters partner with the parish’s Ministers of Care, Meals on Wheels and People Who Care programs for distribution.

Tammy Holmes, who helped establish the ministry, said many recipients joyfully display their gifts from over the years with grateful family members or care providers offering monetary donations to keep the ministry alive. Crafters from other faiths occasionally join the effort too.