Sadie Guffey was manning the booth with an oversized version of her latest product, a crocheted acorn, on the table. When Elon President Connie Book saw her acorns and she ordered two, Guffey realized she had accomplished much more than she thought. Especially for her late grandmother who taught her the techniques she practices today.
Guffey learned to crochet in the summer of 2023 after returning from studying abroad. Guffey’s grandmother was diagnosed with cancer on February 22, 2022, and took it upon herself to teach all of her grandchildren the craft while she was recovering at home.
“When Nana got sick, I was there every day, every other day,” Guffey said. “Then on July 8, she passed away this summer, so I thought, ‘Oh, I want to do something more.’
Once Guffey returned to campus, he began creating more projects. Her crochet pencils became a favorite among her friends and family, and eventually her business, Holes In The Sky by Sadie, was started. Guffey’s roommate, Allie Shibata, remembers the first time Guffey made a product for her.
“Sadie has always been very crafty and creative, so it was cool to see her hone her skills in this craft,” Ms. Shibata said. “Before she started her business, she made me a crochet pencil as a gift. It was really special.”
Elon is home to Oak Originals at the Marketplace (Oak Originals). Oak Originals is “an initiative of the Dougherty Center for Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship,” according to the magazine. Website. Kim Phipps, Oak Originals program coordinator, said Alyssa Martina, executive director of the Dougherty Center, created the program six years ago. Martina did not respond to Elon News Networks’ request for an interview.
“It was an online resource that used to be in Elon, but it wasn’t called Oak Originals,” Phipps said.
of Rebrand introduced in 2022 From a class of strategic campaigns that brought new names, activities, and events to the organization.
Sadie’s HITS was built in 3 days. From scanning her QR code for Oak Her Originals to bringing it to the table in Burlington, she went all out. Her business was named with help from her grandmother.
“My Nana gave this book to my mom after she passed away because she wanted us all to read it,” Guffey said. “It’s a piece called “Hole in the Sky” by Patricia Polacco.”
Guffey remembers being moved to tears in her education class when her professor read a book by the same author.
Lucy Horn, a vendor at Junior Oak Originals and an intern at the Dougherty Center, helped Guffey get started with the organization. Horn and Guffey met through the Teaching Fellows program, and Guffey later became a regular customer at Horn’s pop-ups. Mr. Horn primarily works with new vendors and encouraged Mr. Guffey to join the organization.
“It took some coercion,” Horn said. “At first, she was a little scared to start it. Once she decided to do it, she was hooked all at once. She’s someone you don’t have to mess with her.”
In communities outside of Alamance County, you can find Sadie’s HITS at pop-ups in Greensboro and surrounding areas. Guffey said that although she initially struggled to find a way to incorporate her artistic interests on campus, starting her business reignited her joy in work. Ta.
“I think it just adds to the joy of seeing my art sell and seeing me feel so much joy. It’s not taking anything away from me, it’s not doing anything. ” Guffey said. “Happiness is in everything, and it was such a great time to bring that to the community.”
In addition to personal opportunities for vendors, Oak Originals will offer collaborations on campus and with local businesses in Burlington to showcase their work. Two of his most anticipated pop-ups are Oak Originals’ Holiday His Market and Homecoming Weekend, held each December.
“We now have vendors who are students, staff and faculty who are starting to work with us and they have their own businesses,” Phipps said.
Phipps said the event draws large crowds and attracts Elon’s president and state governors.
One of Guffey’s best-selling products is crocheted miniature acorns. Guffey was “impressed” when Book ordered two large acorns that he had been prototyping at Oak Originals’ holiday market. She was asked to finish her work by January, which she carried to her president’s office in a large brown bag with a certificate of appreciation and crocheted mini acorns.
Small crocheted acorns purchased from Sadie Guffey’s Etsy shop.Photo by Sadie Guffey
“I got a text message from a friend and it was a screenshot of a Facebook page,” Guffey said. “This is Book’s Facebook page for her. She wrote an entire article about I Gave Acorns and how it’s similar to Elon’s creativity.”
Oak Originals’ leadership team has strived to find ways to keep students active within the organization as they grow academically. They hope that student entrepreneurs and others in the business-focused living-learning community will join the group in the future.
“A lot of times, someone starts working with us and then there’s a lot of other stuff going on,” Phipps said. “We need active participants, and Sadie is definitely an asset to us.”
Guffey, an elementary education student and entrepreneur who will be teaching students at South Mebane Elementary School this spring, said she knows she will have to support herself with a second income in addition to her chosen career. Told.
“I feel like I have this passion and have grown it,” Guffey said. “I’m ready to go to graduate school. If I’m going to continue, that’s what I’m going to do.”
In addition to continuing to sell crocheted items, HITS by Sadie has expanded into new ventures such as blanket sweaters and ceramics. Guffy tells herself that this business was created to remember the last memories she and her grandmother had.
“I like sharing stories,” Guffey said. “I think it reminds me why I’m doing this. It reminds me of who made me. It’s a way to honor her. It’s a way to connect with her.”
