D’yario Handmade Bags

When Juanita Sartore lost her husband to cancer a little over five months ago, she had to find an escape from the grief. After some searching, her escape from the heartache that she says used to be “overwhelming” at times is putting her hands – and her mind – to work within the walls at the community center at Southwestern Indiana Regional Council on Aging (SWIRCA).Sartore, along with about a dozen other individuals, have been participating in the D’Yario project, which is a project that creates recycled newspaper into hand-woven material and is then used to build handbags. In the Philippines, D’Yario means paper.The project is being used as a way to raise funds to help meet the needs of seniors and disabled youth and adults.

“I haven’t laughed this much in a long time. This gives me something to look forward to, and I’m helping not just myself but others through this project,” Sartore said.

Linda Hoops, who serves on the SWIRCA board of directors, first saw the program developed by childhood friends in her native home in the Philippines. The project made it possible for women in poverty to make a living. After seeing its success, Hoops wanted to bring the project to Evansville – and use it to make a difference in the lives of others. She likes that the project not only gives people and organizations a chance to make money, but also recycles newspapers.

Hoops, along with trainers Maria Reese and Virgie Tomlinson, meet on Tuesday afternoons to train and assist individuals who have shown interest in the project. They roll sheets of newspaper into a long cylinder around a narrow dowel. Then the paper rolls are flattened and woven together around box forms in the shape of purses and shopping bags. Ultimately the bags are painted, decorated and handles are added.

For more information or to participate, contact Kim Morehead at 812-464-7804.

There are several finished bags at this time and they are for sale for more information please contact us at 464-7800.