Our first employee spotlight highlights Angie Wetherell who has worked with Mother Earth Pillows for a number of years. She comes to St. Louis from Michigan, where she spent her childhood growing up next to the Great Lakes. She has been married to her husband for 18 years and has three children after having 20 miscarriages. After the miscarriages, she became greatly involved with a national organization called Share (http://www.nationalshare.org), which “serves those whose lives are touched by the tragic death of a baby through pregnancy loss, stillbirth or in the first few months of life.”
Q: How long have you worked with Mother Earth Pillows?
A: I have worked with Mother Earth Pillows for about four years.
Q: What is your main role at Mother Earth Pillows?
A: I have been called a “jack-of-all-trades.” I feel like I can fill-in for someone no matter if their role is an accountant or a seamstress. Originally, I started here as a part-time seamstress during Christmas season. It was during those first few weeks that I realized that I really do well under pressure, no matter what type of job it is.
Q: Since you started out as a seamstress, how did you learn how to sew?
A: The original owner, Karen Kowal, taught me how to sew. I am left-handed so it was a learning curve for her to teach me because she had never taught a lefty before!
Q: I read your article in Sharing Magazine, called “Chasing Rainbows.” It was so beautiful. What was it like writing that story about your miscarriages?
A: I never really thought about writing it until our owner, Jeff Evenson, and one of my co-workers, Bernadette Ringwald, mentioned the idea to me. I had been holding onto the story for so long, so I decided to talk about it because it is very real. At first, I had many reservations because I didn’t know what to say. The support I received from Mother Earth helped me to write it, and I was honored to do it.
Q: Do you think you will write again?
A: I hope so. In my first story, I didn’t talk about the challenges I had and how I dealt with them. I hope to talk more about that in my next story.
Q: Will you stay involved with Share after writing this?
A: I have been involved with Share since my first walk in 1999, but it was a slow start because it was so hard for me after the miscarriages since a lot my friends and family did not understand the emotions I was going through at the time.
Q: What is your favorite Mother Earth product?
A: I have two. They are the Large Flax Pillow and the Natural Pain Pack.
Q: Do you have any hobbies?
A: I enjoy gardening, hiking, music, bonfires, and going into downtown St. Louis to check it out. My family did a stay-cation last year with our kids, and it was great.
Q: What is one thing you miss about Michigan?
A: I miss the water. I am so used to the Great Lakes and not rock beds and dirty water. I worked really hard to find the natural beauty within Missouri when I moved here, and I did find one particular spot.
Q: Where is that one specific nature spot for you in Missouri?
A: It is called Rocky Falls in Winona, Missouri in the Ozarks. It has a shallow body of water with a waterfall and molten lava rock called rhyolite porphyry. It is truly a hidden gem, but I also have native gardens on my own property.
Q: What is one fun fact about yourself?
A: Celebrating Earth Day is also an important day for me and my family. Not only do I love nature, but it is also my anniversary with my husband.
http://nationalshare.org/chasing-rainbows/
Pillow Talk 