[caption id="attachment_5414" align="alignright" width="500" caption="Bobby Jo Walker, Geraldine Triplett, Mary Frances Morgan and Billie Lee sew dolls for children at Hiway 80 Rescue Mission."][/caption]

Residents at Buckner Westminster Place are on a mission to make a difference, one doll at a time.

Geraldine Triplett, 89-year-old Buckner Westminster Place resident, is teaching other seniors how to create handmade dolls that will change lives. Together, residents plan to create two dozen dolls to donate to children at Hiway 80 Rescue Mission.

“I think it’s a very enjoyable project,” said Billye Early, a Buckner Westminster Place resident who is helping make dolls. “We just have a good time. It’s good for us to get together and do things. It’s absolutely wonderful to do something to help someone else.”

Triplett is teaching Early and other residents how to make the dolls. She has sewed, stuffed and carefully made clothing for more than 100 dolls to date. She said she finds true joy in creating something from nothing.

She made her first doll for her granddaughter who was born with spina bifida. It was her granddaughter's favorite toy and she carried it with her to every surgery and treatment. Triplett was so impressed with the care her granddaughter received, she decided to make a thank-you doll to donate to the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. Triplett has crafted dolls for her six granddaughters, five great-granddaughters and countless other children over the years.

“When I look back at all the dolls I have made for family, friends and other children, I wonder, who she has influenced the most,” said Triplett. “I believe it is me, she really has made a difference in my life.”

She is looking forward to this new project that will help families in crisis.

“I’ve always been a giving person. I like to give back to the community,” Triplett said. “Not only will the children enjoy this, but it will also be a great accomplishment for the women at Buckner Westminster Place.”

Many of the residents have asked Triplett to teach them how to sew the dolls, embroider the faces and stitch the clothes. Administrators are excited about this opportunity for the residents to learn something new while reaching out to families in the community.

“I am thoroughly impressed with our residents and their desire to give back to the community,” said Wes Wells, executive director at Buckner Westminster Place. “They are inspiring all of us to look for ways to impact the lives of people around us.”