Near the entrance of Fellowship Hall Wednesday at Westminster Presbyterian Church, a woman sewed together a tiny hospital gown.

At another table, three women filled boxes with shampoo, blankets and puzzles.

Eight women near the front of the room ripped white sheets into bandages.

For 47 years, the Westminster Women's Presbyterian Association has been meeting in February for its Mission Work Day.

The women organized donations and made materials for causes worldwide and locally.

"It's really worthwhile to know that it's going to help somebody,"

Mildred Hartman said.

Bandages, hospital gowns and blankets were being made to send to mission hospitals overseas. Once the items are finished, the women will send them to the national Presbyterian Women in the Congregation group, which distributes the materials to mission hospitals where they are needed most.

Other donations, such as shampoo, soap, blankets, pencils and puzzles, were boxed up to send to the Sheriff's Youth Ranch, Green Haven Family Advocates, Colony Home and Agape Halfway House.

Crafts were made for local senior care centers and knitted scarves and caps will be sent to the Duluth Seafarers Mission.

The work was to last from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., but Marian Lerum said they would stay until they finished their work.

"It's quite a job getting it all together," she said as she filled a box for the Sheriff's Youth Ranch.

Most of the materials they were organizing were donated by church members. Any other materials they needed were purchased with the Women's Presbyterian Association fund.

Shirley Hinricks, Darlene Berhow, Ida Jahren and Carolyn Meier chair the event, each leading one of the activities.

The day is also a time for socialization for the women. They enjoy lunch together and begin to plan for their one of their largest fund-raisers for hospitals -- the Salad Luncheon.

Jeanne Winslow laid out the material for to make aprons for the event, which will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. May 8.

By late morning, the crafts were already completed. The women were well on their way to rolling their goal of 100 bandages and boxes for local causes were filling up quickly.

"It's a fun time," said Gloria Falconer. "And you do something good, too."

Cari Quam can be reached at 434-2235 or by e-mail at cari.quam@austindailyherald.com