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​If you ask Rebecca Cervantes-Sheeler and Patricia Ashley why they make tote bags for Junction City patients, they’ll say they’re only doing what’s right.

Many patients don’t own a suitcase or duffle bag, and they need something to put their belongings in when they’re discharged. As skilled seamstresses, Cervantes-Sheeler and Ashley knew they could help. 

“It gives me a warm feeling, knowing they can leave with a home-made bag,” Ashley said. “Some clients come in with nothing. Helping them is what I love to do.”

The tradition of making totes began two years ago. That’s when Cervantes-Sheeler, who used to run the clothing shop, made her first bag out of a dress for a patient in need. Soon afterward, she emailed staff to ask for donated materials, and a mental health security technician came through in a big way. He delivered his first batch of horse feed bags to the shop and has kept the tradition alive ever since. He gets the bags from a friend who runs a horse-boarding facility.  

During work time, Cervantes-Sheeler transformed the bags by cleaning them, cutting out the bottoms, and redesigning the material. Each square-shaped tote takes about 45 minutes to complete, and straps are added through leftover fabric from the former Blue Mountain Recovery Center in Pendleton.

This past spring, Cervantes-Sheeler transferred her role as the Junction City seamstress and tote-bag maker to Ashley. The two women are on a job rotation through next March. Cervantes-Sheeler now works as an operations and policy analyst, and Ashley, a custodian in Environmental Services, now oversees the clothing shop.

Together, Cervantes-Sheeler and Ashley have distributed nearly 100 bags to former patients. The bags are stored in both the clothing shop and in admissions, and they’re given to any patient who requests one.

“I’m really big into recycling and reusing things,” Cervantes-Sheeler said. “We’re reusing stuff that normally goes into the trash, and a lot of clients really seem to like the totes. This is a great project.”