Friends of 507: Darrel Thomas Textiles
March 23, 2008
WORLDS COLLIDED IN A GOOD WAY when Darrell Graham, owner of a high-end Bank Street fabric shop, recently donated a dozen handmade aprons to Centre 507.
Centre 507 and Darrell Thomas Textiles cater to different crowds. His shop features high-end fabrics, soft music, a black leather couch, original paintings and over 50,000 buttons.
The aprons were made by some of Darrell’s customers, who get together monthly with him to “stitch and bitch,” as he puts it with a smile. Each of the aprons features different fabrics and patterns, from plain denim and khaki, to a maple leaf motif, to a barnyard scene. Making the aprons took only an hour or so for the skilled sewers, but Darrell says that the feeling of helping out was “amazing.” And the aprons certainly come in handy, both for regular 507 kitchen duty and in the Centre’s cooking classes.
The cooking classes are part of a series of life skills sessions that build participant self-esteem and help them move forward in their lives and, sometimes, even careers.
Even though his shop is only about 10 blocks down Bank Street from the Centre, Darrell hadn’t heard of the place until 507 staff member Dan Lalonde dropped in with a copy of Five-O-Seven News. Darrell read it carefully, noting that the newsletter’s wish list for donations, which included aprons, was pretty modest.
Darrell also mentioned the contribution to Centre 507 in his e-newsletter, which goes to about 350 of his clients. “This really speaks to the power of community,” said Centre 507 manager Caroline Ann Giekes. “By spreading the word about his donation to Centre 507 and the work we do, Darrell has brought us to the attention of so many more people.”