Two pediatric cancer patients twisted green pipe cleaners around clothespins as they made alligators and turtles at a crafts event Sunday.
Elyse Hancock, 9, worked alongside her friend Veronica Dillow, 8, at Depot Park’s Children’s Arts & Crafts event as a woman moved between them, helping them make their critters. The two met in third grade at their school in Lake City, Florida, after learning they both had the same kind of leukemia.
After they made their animals in the pavilion, Joy Graham Miller, who has been teaching arts and crafts in Gainesville for almost 50 years, hot-glued googly eyes on them. Throughout the four-hour event, she helped about 25 kids with their crafts, which were made of recycled materials she collects.
Miller, 62, said she has reused materials for kids’ crafts since she was 13. In addition to pipe cleaners, she also used Kool-Aid boxes and water bottle caps. She said Sunday was the first time she has taught at the event at Depot Park.
She said she started teaching crafts because it shows kids that they can build things if they put time into it.
“I love teaching kids that they can do something with stuff all around them, so I recycle,” Miller said.
Kristy Hancock, Elyse’s mom, said events like Miller’s craft station allow the girls to keep in touch despite doctors’ appointments.
“I love working with kids — they’re amazed at stuff adults take for granted,” Miller said.
Surrounded by her family, Joy Graham Miller shows David, 7, how to make a toy turtle out of pipe cleaners and bottle caps on his birthday on Sunday.
