FAIRBORN — Jeanne Myers has turned her sewing skills toward another fundraiser for Fairborn bands, this time converting old band uniforms into usable crafts that alumni, students, and community members can enjoy.
Fairborn retired two sets of band uniforms, most recently in 2018, and before that in 2005. In the intervening years, those two sets of uniforms have sat in a closet at the high school, gathering dust. Many high schools around the nation retire uniforms and modernize them over the years, and much of the time no one really knows what to do with them.
The Fairborn Music Club decided to recycle.
By ripping out the seams and cutting a 16-inch cross section of the uniform’s body, Myers was able to sew the two halves together for the uniform pillowcase. The tote bags require a little more work, with a zig-zag stitch on the inside to keep it from fraying. The handles for the bag are also recycled – cut from the straps on the uniform pants.
Pillows are 14 square inches and priced at $40, unless a person has purchased a uniform previously. Pillows still have the uniform’s zipper in the back for easy washing. Tote bags are $35. Size of the tote bag is dependent on the specific uniform being used.
“Jeanne Myers is an incredible individual who continues to support the Fairborn Music Club,” a district representative said in a social media post. “This proud supporter of our music programs strikes gold again with this idea. Please support the music programs in our district…and you will have an amazing piece of history in the process.”
“When we try to capture what makes our community what it is, this sums it up,” the post continued. “A beacon of hope in tough times who helps all of us remember that each of us has a gift to share.”
