By Andy Furman
Point/Arc
The elves are busy. Those little helpers of Santa Claus are working extra hard this holiday season. Not in the North Pole; but right here in Latonia, Kentucky – at The Point/Arc’s Apparel Shop.
“We’re busy creating products as well as filling orders for customers during this holiday season,” says Connie Hutson, the Manager of The Point Apparel – one of four enterprises owned and operated by the non-profit organization based in Covington.
“When I read about the purpose and mission of The Point,” the Independence resident said. “I knew at once, that is where I belong. That is where I want to work and serve.”
And working in the apparel shop is just natural for Hutson, who started embroidering as a hobby. “I even purchased my own embroidery machine, a 16-needle one,” said Hutson, who started at The Point in May of 2023.
Today, Connie Hutson and her staff – her five elves – are tirelessly working to finish their creative orders before the holiday gift-giving season. “We create and make everything from T-shirts to golf shirts, hats, caps, aprons, quarter-zips, back packs and duffle bags,” she said, while working on a 400-item order from Newport’s River Metal Recycling.
“They have some 400 items that need to be embroidered.”
Those items vary from vests, quarter-zips, polos, jackets, and duffle bags, with the company logo on them, she said.
“I’ve always enjoyed making clothing as well as crafts,” she said. “I would start with a pattern and some scraps, and turn that into a garment.”
The Point Apparel Shop – 216 West 36 th Street Latonia – has also created spirit wear, and New Haven Elementary School has been a client, Hutson says.
“They have a choice of five different designs, short or long sleeve, and crew necks,” Hutson said. “All of them can be found on our web site.”
Aiden Becker, a 23-year-old graduate of Holy Cross High School, is the newest elf to join the group.
“Actually,” he said, “I had left, and just returned. It is a fun place to work and I enjoy operating the embroidering machine; and I’m learning screen printing.”
The biggest problem he said, “is getting the ink all over the place.”
Hutson said all she asks is that potential elves – workers – have an interest in this kind of work, and that they want to learn.
“We do have some our staff who were taught these skills,” she said.
The Point Apparel Shop is located at: 216 West 36 th Street, Latonia, Kentucky, and
operates Monday-through-Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
But during this holiday season, do not be surprised if you see these Apparel Elves burning that midnight oil, so the lights may still be on after hours.
In 2012, The Point/Arc opened the doors to The Point Apparel — formerly The Point Logo and Design Company. The Point/Arc opened its first social enterprise – The Point Restaurant in 1982 – to provide vocational training to individuals with I/DD – intellectual and developmental disabilities. In 1985, The Point Commercial Cleaning and Employment Program was added to provide job training, placement and lifelong follow-up. Point Commercial Laundry was established in 1996.
The Point/Arc was founded in 1972 – in 2024 the organization celebrated its 52nd anniversary. A group of parents, 52 years ago, were fighting for the education rights of their children who were diagnosed with an intellectual and developmental (I/DD) disability.
The mission – to help people with disabilities achieve their highest potential educationally, socially, residentially, and vocationally. More than this, The Point/Arc has been an organization that identifies gaps in services and provide care and support to fill these gaps – even when government funding sources are not available.