Two local organizations have made it a point to show their gratitude this holiday season.

The Hilton Head Island Chapter of the American Needlepoint Guild and the Lowcountry Chapter of the Embroiderers' Guild of America combined artistic talents to create a special thank-you gift for TidePointe on Hilton Head.

The continuing care community has donated its craft room to both groups for their meetings for the past several years. A couple of TidePointe residents are involved in the guilds, helping facilitate the special arrangement.

The 25-member needlepoint group and the 21-member embroidery group wanted to show their appreciation. Members of the two groups delivered a Christmas tree -- complete with 43 original ornaments and a tree skirt -- to TidePointe on Dec. 4.

TidePointe director of member services Maryanne Kirkpatrick said the members of the community are thrilled with the tree and all the intricate details both groups put into it.

"It's really a labor of love," Kirkpatrick said. "It's certainly from their hearts, and we're very grateful that they chose to share it with us. ... It brings a lot of love into the season."

The needlepoint group has worked for the past two years stitching together the ornaments. The Embroiderers Guild made the skirt for underneath the tree.

Local Needlepoint Guild president Barbara Lynch said her group decided to make traditional ornaments that represent members' childhood memories.

"With the thought of stitched ornaments for a Christmas tree we knew we needed a tree skirt," Lynch said. "And the perfect group to stitch that tree skirt would be the Embroiderers' Guild."

Because several women belong to both guilds, Lynch said it was a given that the embroidery group could design, stitch and finish a tree skirt that would complement the ornaments. The embroiderers liked the idea and jumped on board.

"The love of stitching we all share in both (guilds) was certainly evident when the tree was lit and everything sparkled in the entryway at the TidePointe clubhouse," Lynch said.

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