To Barbara Farmilant, beads are a tonic for a troubled heart.
She first noticed it a few years back, when women came in to take jewelry-making classes at her Midtown bead store.
As they strung together silver, crystals and pearls, the women opened up to each other about their joys and sorrows. When class was over, they seemed happier, less burdened.
"I call it bead therapy," Farmilant said. "People would pour out their hearts. By the time they left, they would feel better."
That got her thinking: If beading brought such peace to regular folks, what benefits might it bring to more wounded souls?
Farmilant is about to find out. She has founded a charity that aims to make the experience available to women in crisis.
She said she recently received legal nonprofit status for her brainchild, Bountiful Beads. The effort is just getting off the ground with start-up donations from her bead store, Strung Out On Beads, 5460 E. Speedway, and from other donors.
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The idea is to give women in domestic violence shelters and other crisis situations an opportunity to take part in jewelry-making as a form of healing and recreation, said Farmilant, a Chicago transplant who has lived in Tucson for 16 years.
"When people are in crisis, life seems ugly," she said. "This is an opportunity for these women to do something positive, to make something beautiful, at a really bad time in their lives."
If all goes as planned, the items the women make could be sold to help raise money for the shelters.
Farmilant hopes to launch the effort at the Tucson Centers for Women and Children — she is a member of the organization's advisory board. Over time, she envisions the program spreading to other agencies that deal with troubled women, such as homeless shelters or substance abuse facilities.
Margaret Higgins, executive director of The Haven, a local residential treatment center for women recovering from addictions, is excited about the prospect of bringing Farmilant's program to her clients.
She expects it will help her residents gain self-esteem and a sense of accomplishment.
"Beading is very therapeutic," Higgins said, adding that the activity is recognized as a healing force in American Indian culture.
Farmilant said her bead store will not benefit from the charitable program. Any items provided through her business are either donated or are provided at cost, she said. Some of her vendors also are making donations, she added.
Farmilant is no stranger to worthy causes.
Through the years, she's been involved in many efforts benefiting the disadvantaged, including a former music school for low-income Tucson kids that she co-founded.
Farmilant said she feels blessed to be in a position to help others.
"Life is not about just making a dollar," she said. "It's people who are important."
Midtown
● For more information about Bountiful Beads, call 323-6233 or e-mail barbed3303@yahoo.com
