BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.2.3.1//EN TZID:America/Chicago X-WR-TIMEZONE:America/Chicago BEGIN:VEVENT UID:668@kicmke.org DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260422T163000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260422T180000 DTSTAMP:20260325T042035Z URL:https://kicmke.org/events/earth-day-with-congolese-artisans/ SUMMARY:Craft\, Connect\, Give Back: Earth Day with Congolese Artisans DESCRIPTION:REGISTER HERE\nJoin us for a meaningful Earth Day gathering wit h the women of Why Not Now Missions\, an organization that supports Congol ese refugee women living in Milwaukee. During this special Cloud 9 worksho p\, families will spend time connecting with the women artisans as they de monstrate their beautiful basket-weaving technique using repurposed plasti c bags. This gathering celebrates creativity\, sustainability\, and the po wer of community.\nFollowing this time of connection\, families will parti cipate in hands-on service activities that support both the artisans and m others staying at the Milwaukee Women’s Center. Together\, we will prepa re thoughtful Mother’s Day baskets and learn about how everyday material s can be transformed into meaningful works of art.\n\nActivities\nVoluntee rs will begin with a short welcome where Congolese artisans will share abo ut their culture and basket-making tradition they use to create sustainabl e products from recycled plastic bags. After this time of connection\, fam ilies will rotate through several activity stations.\n\nCongolese Hospital ity Station\nFamilies will enjoy tea and beignets while connecting with th e artisans and learning about this traditional Congolese way of sharing co mmunity.\n\nPlastic Bag Prep Station\nYounger children will help flatten d onated plastic bags\, while older kids and caregivers will cut them into s trips that can later be used in the basket-making process.\n\nMother’s D ay Card Station\nFamilies will create handmade Mother’s Day cards using colorful scraps from plastic bag handles to design flower decorations. The se cards will be included in gift baskets for mothers staying at the Milwa ukee Women’s Center. If time allows\, volunteers may also create a card to take home.\n\nMother’s Day Basket Packing Station\nVolunteers will he lp assemble gift baskets for mothers living at the Milwaukee Women’s Cen ter. Baskets may include items such as chocolates\, lotion\, a kitchen tow el\, and a handmade bracelet.\nImpact\nThis project supports the Congolese women artisans of Why Not Now Missions by celebrating their culture and h ighlighting their sustainable craft. The baskets used in the project also support their artisan work. The Mother’s Day baskets will be delivered t o mothers living at the Milwaukee Women’s Center\, offering encouragemen t and small comforts during a challenging time.\nKids and families will ga in the opportunity to learn from refugee women in our community\, experien ce a different culture\, practice environmental stewardship by repurposing plastic bags\, and create gifts that show care and compassion for local m others.\n\nWhen &\; Where\nWednesday\, April 22 (Earth Day)\n4:30-6:00 pm\n\nCloud 9 Workshop\n5205 W North Ave.\nMilwaukee WI 53208\n\nRegistrat ion Information\nParticipant Cap: 35 volunteers\n\nAge: All ages \n\nCost : Families are invited to participate for free.\nOptional: Sponsor a baske t and the included gifts for $28. Click Here to Donate. (Check the box to "Direct my donation to Mother's Day Baskets")\nOR Contribute items to add to the gift basket from our Amazon Wishlist. Your donation will celebrate the moms staying at the Milwaukee Women’s Center in addition to supporti ng Congolese women artisans. \n\n\nMaterials: Please bring clean plastic bags to donate for the basket-weaving project. Wear comfortable clothing s uitable for crafting activities.\n\nQuestions:Email lynn@kicmke.org with a ny specific questions.\nCancellations: We count on our registered voluntee rs to make these projects come to life. However\, we understand illness an d emergencies do come up\, so if you can no longer participate\, please em ail lynn@kicmke.org ASAP so we can fill your spot.\n\nOur Partners\nCloud 9 Workshop\nCloud 9 Workshop is a Milwaukee-based eco-art studio that cre ates hands-on creative experiences for kids\, families\, and community mem bers. Through workshops and collaborative projects\, participants explore art using both traditional and repurposed materials while learning to thin k creatively and sustainably. The studio’s mission is to inspire people of all ages to create together\, build connections\, and discover the joy of making something meaningful with their hands. Learn more on their websi te.\nWhy Not Now Missions\nWhy Not Now Missions is a program that empowers Congolese refugee women through community support\, cultural storytelling \, and artisan work. The women transform repurposed plastic bags into beau tiful hand-woven baskets\, creating sustainable products while sharing the ir culture and building economic opportunity.\nThrough workshops\, storyte lling\, and artisan sales\, the program helps refugee women build connecti ons within the Milwaukee community while celebrating their skills and trad itions. Learn more on their website. ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://kicmke.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Ea rth-Day-Mothers-Day-Baskets.jpeg CATEGORIES:Creativity,Nature,Refugees END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Chicago X-LIC-LOCATION:America/Chicago BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20260308T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR