Sewing sisters learn lifelong skills in 4-H
“A stitch in time saves nine” refers to spending time on something now, rather than putting it off until later. A trio of Butler County 4-H seamstresses knows all about sewing together many pieces to get a high-quality finished product.
The daughters of Mike and Jocelyn Kondos of Evans City — Zoie, 18; Abbey, 16; and Bailey, 14 — all joined the Unionville 4-H Sewing Club five years ago. Their mother wanted them to learn a new skill they wouldn’t have the chance to perfect at school.
Under the guidance of volunteer club leaders Kathy McCurdy and Helen Voegler, each learned the craft of sewing and has entered their projects in the 4-H Round up at the Butler Farm Show each year.
Now president of the sewing club in her final year of 4-H, Zoie has sewn bags, a skirt, shorts and a matching top, and three dresses, earning several blue ribbons at the farm show. The Seneca Valley High School senior plays the mellophone in the marching band, and the French horn in the wind ensemble. She’s also senator in the senior class student government.
During the summer, Zoie works picking and sorting sweet corn and going to farm markets for McEhinney Farm. She and Bailey are also involved in Girl Scouts.
A sophomore, Abbey is the athlete of the sisters. She plays fast-pitch softball for Seneca Valley and is on a traveling team. She’s also on the school diving team, and sings in the school chorus.
Abbey’s 4-H sewing projects include a skirt, shirt, travel roll and three pairs of shorts that have all earned awards at the farm show.
Also busy at Seneca, eighth-grader Bailey plays clarinet in the band and is on the stage crew for the middle school play, “Shrek,” this fall.
She has embraced the 4-H spirit, by not only sewing pillows, pajamas and clothing, but joined the 4-H rabbit club, the Butler Bunni Bunch, and a community club called the Town and Country Kids through which she takes photography and serves as treasurer. She also represents Unionville Sewing on the Butler County 4-H Youth Council, the countywide group of teen leaders.
Bailey’s other 4-H interest is square dancing. Because Butler County doesn’t have a club, she dances with the Armstrong Squares, the 4-H club in Armstrong County that competes at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg.
The group starts practicing in September in preparation to compete against nearly 60 other squares of dancers of all ages at the state show in January.
All three girls can be found volunteering at the 4-H petting zoo at the Butler Fair and participating in most 4-H county events such as the spring kickoff event and the wrap-up dance at the farm show. They agree the friendships they’ve gained through 4-H are one of the best things about being involved.
Bailey said that “learning more about what you’re interested in and improving your public speaking skills” are also important parts of being in 4-H.
For information about 4-H, contact Jean Kummer at 724-287-4761.
