A message from Kathryn Mammel, cofounder and President of Wonder and Think and granddaughter of Gerry Stine:

I am so touched that you are considering a memorial gift towards Wonder and Think in honor of my grandmother, Gerry Stine, or "Nia" as my sisters and I knew her.

Nia was a talented seamstress and made many of her own clothes. When I was in fifth grade, she gifted me her old sewing machine and taught me how to sew so that I could make baby blankets to welcome my newest cousins. Sewing became a point of connection for us, and I cherished the time we spent together and the things we co-created.

Through sewing with Nia I learned the empowering lesson that I could start from scratch and create useful and beautiful things in this world. I also learned that creating new things requires A LOT of time, hard work, and meticulous attention to detail, and if that something was worth making, it was worth making well so that it would last.

As I now work to launch a youth museum for my community, I draw on those lessons daily. And I am excited to empower young people with hands-on learning opportunities just as Nia empowered me with those first sewing lessons.

Our brick-and-mortar museum is still a ways in the future, but you can be sure our "maker space" will be equipped with sewing machines someday, and I will think of Nia fondly as I see them being put to good use!

Gerry Stine Memorial Gifts