Tying up loose ends

It was a significant moment. At Wausau Manor Health Services on Westhill Drive earlier this month, 98-year-old Wausau resident and veteran Berdina Hilmershausen finally received a large embroidery art project she had been unable to complete herself.

The completed artwork was the result of coordinated craftsmanship, driven by a non-profit called the Loose Ends Project and the effort of a volunteer who traveled from Bonduel to Wausau to deliver the finished piece.

The unfinished project

For years, Hilmershausen’s embroidery canvas sat unfinished. A large piece, estimated to be anywhere from a quarter to halfway complete, its canvas grayed with dust, it represented a creative pursuit that she could no longer continue. Due to age-related dexterity and eyesight issues, the veteran was prevented from finishing the intricate needlework. Hilmershausen’s former neighbor, Laurie Frahm, knew the piece held personal value.

“Bernie thought it might have been sitting left untouched for 30 or more years,” said Frahm. “She couldn’t remember when exactly she stopped working on it.”

For all that time, Hilmershausen held onto the piece.

“Bernie hated to just throw it away,” Frahm said. “She wanted to find someone skilled to complete it.”

That mission led Frahm to the Loose Ends Project, a non-profit that operates by matching skilled craft volunteers with individuals who need projects—like knitting, sewing or embroidery — finished due to health issues or the loss of a loved one who started the work.

The volunteer’s effort

Earlier this year, Hilmershausen’s project was matched with a volunteer named Cynthia Kirschling, who resides in Bonduel. Kirschling took on the project, completing the work solely out of good will, as all Loose Ends volunteers receive no compensation for their time.

The embroidery project was large and required a significant number of hours to complete. “I can’t imagine the number of hours she put in,” Frahm remarked.

The delivery

The meeting, which took place on Nov. 15, was the first time Hilmershausen would see the finished work. Hilmershausen is currently at Wausau Manor receiving rehabilitation after a recent fall, but Frahm confirmed she is “doing well and in great spirits.”

The small gathering, which included Frahm, Kirschling and Hilmershausen’s family, was present for the delivery. When the completed piece was unveiled, the emotional reaction was evident. The finished pattern, now whole, stood as a representation of Hilmershausen’s initial vision and Kirschling’s dedicated completion of the project.

For more information on the Loose Ends Project, visit looseends.org.