Changing Seasons, Changing Focus
It’s no secret that I adore soapmaking. I’ve been immersed in learning and loving the history, importance, and joy of creating beautiful bars of soap for more than a decade. It’s been my creative outlet and, over time, a source of community, dignity, and income for me and my family. We’ve come a long way, baby. And we have so much beautiful potential ahead! Let me tell you a bit about how our winding road has led us to an immense, incredible opportunity. I cannot wait to bring you along with us!
Since the beginning in 2013, I have enjoyed various iterations of Sage & Prim. A family affair, a hobby, a side hustle, a full-time job. It’s been a changeling that has always seemed to have plans and a mind of its own. When the pandemic hit in 2020, soapmaking also became a way I could try to do my part, and make sure all of my friends and neighbors could, if nothing else, wash their hands to try to steer clear of Covid as much as possible. What I assumed would be a kind but possibly unnecessary gesture at best turned into a heartbreaking, eye-opening time for me as I became keenly aware of the scope of needs in my community. Requests began coming in, not only for bars of soap, but for cleaning supplies, safe masks, hand and foot warmers, and more. I took on the task of fulfilling as many requests as I could, reaching out to friends, nearby organizations, and business owners to pool resources.
I dug into the process of coordinating this unexpected journey with the assumption that as the initial chaos of the pandemic eased up on our small, rural town, we would see the need to provide these staples to our neighbors lessen. I was wrong. In the handful of years since, it became abundantly clear that this was an area of need that was hugely unmet, even before the added strain added by current events. Local organizations were not providing any access to cleaning products, or personal hygiene items. Without much of a plan, I just kept doing what I could to connect people to resources on the sales or donations I had coming in. It has been a very fulfilling and demanding ongoing effort, and I am certain there is no more important place that I could be directing my time and energy than to fill this need in our communities.
With all of that in mind, I’ve spent a great deal of time considering the possibilities for the future of Sage & Prim. The creative, expressive, and fun aspect of making soap and setting up retail spaces is something I love and have no intention of stopping. But in my heart, I know that using this skill to strengthen my community is a calling I cannot ignore. It truly feels like one of those “AHA!” moments, I am now equipped with a plan, with many partnering organizations who believe in what I’m doing, and with a drive to make this mission happen. I’m thankful beyond words to say, I now am the Executive Director of the Sage & Prim Community Support Foundation! We are still selling luxury bath products, and ALL of the money from sale now helps us run the Soap Stations and more! I have an amazing Board of Directors with me (you’ll meet them soon!) and together we are now a registered charitable organization. Over the next few weeks I will introduce you to my Board, explain more about what we do in addition to selling soap, and show you what happens when a plan truly comes together. Thank you for being an amazing group of friends and family, thank you for supporting our little soap shop, and thank you for joining us on this next big adventure! I cannot wait to see where it takes us!
