Wreaths, bracelets, ornaments and other gifts made by Hempfield Area students are on sale at a downtown Greensburg store in time for holiday shopping.
Artisans of Hands and Heart, a co-op store located at 106 S. Pennsylvania Ave., is hosting Hempfield Area’s Perfectly Imperfect Boutique — featuring items made by students in the district’s high school special education and autistic support classes.
This is the Greensburg store’s second time showcasing the boutique — a project created four years ago to bolster students’ life skills, said autistic support teacher Chris Helfrich.
“Anything we can do to prepare the students for after their school age is where it started and how it’s been built,” Helfrich said. “They pretty much participate in every step, from planning to the money part to the advertisements to setting up.”
Students created items such as lanyards, cards, keychains and decorative plaques to contribute to the boutique, said Helen Keegan-Geroux, one of 19 local artists who regularly showcase at the store.
“It’s a nice variety we have in the store right now,” she said.
Through an adaptive manufacturing course launched in the district this year, students also created handmade wooden items for the boutique.
In addition to Artisans of Hands and Heart, students have sold their items to classmates and teachers during lunchtime, at community events such as Hempfield Night Out and during the open house for the district’s transition center.
“We were trying to create a way for the community to purchase,” said autistic support teacher Amanda Montell. “When Hempfield would post about the boutique on (social media), community members would make comments about ‘How do we support?’”
The transition center sale, in particular, was a hit, said life skills support teacher Amanda Murray.
“It was a full house. The kids were so excited to show the transition center and the boutique,” Murray said. “We had kids just smiling from ear to ear.”
All of the proceeds from the boutique go toward the district’s transition center fund, Montell said.
Items will be available for purchase until Dec. 23. The store is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, as well as 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Keegan-Geroux said.
“Oftentimes, these kids aren’t in other programs, like sports or other clubs, because of their disabilities,” she said. “If we can capture what they do that they like and is a good ability of theirs, we’re glad to do that.”
