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Bartlesville
Posted: May 23, 2025 8:00 AMUpdated: May 23, 2025 9:48 AM
Martha’s Task to Celebrate 25th Anniversary June 12
Tom Davis
It was 25 years ago when the Bartlesville nonprofit began working with low income women helping them learn skills to earn money through sewing and crafting. Appearing on COMMUNITY CONNECTION, Executive Director Laura Walton said that Martha’s Task will celebrate it’s 25th anniversary on the day of the organization’s incorporation – June 12 – with a luau themed party running from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 718 S Johnstone Ave.
“We are so grateful to all who have been a part of forming Martha’s Task in the beginning and sustaining our organization through the years to bring hope, encouragement and employment to women in need,” Executive Director Laura Walton said. “We invite everyone to celebrate with us at our luau party, which will feature fun decorations, food, mocktails and fond memories.”
Beginning in the basement of St. James Catholic Church with leadership from founder Susan Murphy and sewing instructor Lois Morgan, Martha’s Task helped women make draperies in the beginning and now has a full line of popular merchandise created by talented seamstresses trained in the nonprofit programs.
Martha’s Task became an independent nonprofit incorporated on June 12, 2000, and clients have been working in the agency’s building at 718 S. Johnstone since 2002.
“We are so excited about this milestone and have been celebrating all year long,” Walton said. “Martha’s Task has launched a $25,000 for 25 years fundraising campaign, a quarter for a quarter century change campaign and we are holding our luau birthday party on June 12. It’s a wonderful year for us.”
Through the years, Martha’s Task has remained dedicated to alleviating poverty by providing job training programs teaching low income women to become seamstresses and craft items that are sold in the group’s downtown store.
Each item sold in Martha’s Task store has a story behind it. Martha’s Task offers a seamstress training program through which low income women earn wages while learning to sew and keep 100 percent of the profits of each item they sell in the organization’s store. The nonprofit agency also offers an emergency assistance program where women who have an immediate need work for three hours crafting special items and walk out with cash in hand to help pay for a bill, prescription or groceries.
“When you make a purchase at Martha’s Task, you are helping alleviate poverty in our community and you are buying a true made-in-Oklahoma, made-in-Bartlesville product,” Walton said. “Our customers love buying high-quality, well-made merchandise that supports women in need. It’s a wonderful feeling all the way around.”
Martha’s Task 25th anniversary $25,000 fundraising campaign includes $10,000 for seamstress training programs, $5,000 for crafting programs, $5,000 for program supplies and $5,000 for capital needs.
The Martha’s Task economic development program is made possible by generous community members who continually donate fabric, sewing notions and crafting supplies, providing the raw materials that enable women to use their talents to engage in creative, productive, work. The community benefits by recycling items they no longer need into the materials that create jobs for others, and the women of Martha's Task are empowered with new skills enabling them to better support themselves and their families.
For more information about the 25th anniversary party or campaign, call Martha’s Task at 918-336-8275, email marthastask@yahoo.com or follow the organization on Facebook, Instagram and X.
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