Sayville/Bohemia Homemakers Take Their Job Seriously

In this economy, many women are going back into the workforce. Fortunately, there are still many who are homemakers and who take that job seriously. One such association is the Sayville/Bohemia Day Homemakers – this group of women makes charity work and giving back to their community its number one concern.

"We do a lot of charity work," said JoAnn Lowth, president of the group. "We help patients with cancer, make dolls for hospitals. We made breast cancer pillows for Sloan-Kettering Hospital. We make blankets and hats for the newborns in the hospital as well."

The club also makes Tiny Totes bags to be delivered to new moms in the hospital. They work with the Mercy Center in Sayville to help unmarried, pregnant teenagers. The Homemakers offers a yearly scholarship awarded to a relative of a group member.

With approximately 75 members, one of the biggest initiatives the club undertakes every year is the making of dolls for children in the hospital. "We made 59 dolls last year," said member Donna Brunza, who has been active with the group for the last four years and also serves as the chair of the doll committee. "This is the fourth year that I am in charge of the dolls. It's something we work on every single week. It's a whole group project. They are donated to children in Southside and Brookhaven hospitals. We are hoping to do about 60 dolls this year."

The Day Homemakers have been in existence for quite some time, but the Evening Homemakers chapter was dissolved last year. The Homemakers meet every Wednesday at the Sayville Fire Department. It is always encouraging new members, even from other towns. Members are asked to bring a non-perishable food donation for the Greater Sayville Food Pantry to every meeting. Dues are $18 per year.