Turning Old Shawls into Hope: Nashville, TN
This is a beautiful story about turning recycled materials into tote bags for a good cause. A young lady’s eco-conscious purchase of recycled bags as gifts for her friends, while she was on vacation in London, sparked an inspiring service idea in her mother – a recycled tote bag project. The mother presented the idea to the service coordinator of her Sri Sathya Sai Group in Nashville, TN, who enthusiastically embraced the idea and organized the project. The tote bag project was built on sustainability principles (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Redesign) by giving new life to old materials.
The first batch of bags used fabric of the Indian shawls of a cherished Center member, Meena, who had passed away a few years ago. It became a lovely way to honor her life of service and contribution to the center. Sewing sessions held at the service coordinator's home were filled with camaraderie and devotional singing. The project involved about 35 Sai volunteers - men, women, and children. They contributed in many ways: cutting, sewing, ironing, stuffing the bags with essential items and delivering the tote bags to the Nashville Rescue Mission. It often required dedication, teamwork and faith, and drawing on divine inspiration from Sri Sathya Sai to persevere through the challenges. About 225 tote bags filled with essentials were made to commemorate Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s birthday in November 2023, and another 225 bags for Aradhana Day (Day of Remembrance).
There are plans to continue the service annually, and potentially expand it to other centers. The story highlights the importance of putting love into action, turning possibilities into reality, the value of service and environmental consciousness. It also emphasizes trust in a higher power for guidance, and reminds us that love and kindness have a ripple effect, blessing both the giver and receiver, one tote bag at a time.