Dayton welcomes NATO delegates with locally made gift bags: Here's what is in them
"These carefully curated VIP gift bags tell a story about who we are in Dayton, Ohio and our spirit, our craftsmanship and our unwavering hospitality," said Jacquelyn Powell, president and CEO of Destination Dayton. "These bags represent an incredible community wide effort. A showcase of the heart and hustle that defines Dayton."
The Dayton Sewing Collaborative, a nonprofit organization with a mission to lift Dayton up, teamed up with the LION Group, a 125 year old company that delivers innovative, patented technology to the fire service market, to create a durable messenger bag that the delegates could use in their daily lives.
"We started with a simple Google search and kind of went from there," said Rebecca Springer, vice president and treasurer of the Dayton Sewing Collaborative, who designed the bag. "Our big concern was making sure that we could use something that was locally sourced, economical and also something that was durable that people could take all over the world."
The LION Group digitalized the bag pattern from the Dayton Sewing Collaborative and cut out the fabric using their automated cutters. The Dayton Sewing Collaborative put together the bags.
"We're very honored to have been asked, and the support we've received from the community has just been overwhelming," said Brenda Rex, director of the Dayton Sewing Collaborative. "If it hadn't been for the support we got from the LION Group, we would never have been able to do this project."
A team of about 20 to 30 employees from both organizations, volunteers and former sewing students worked together to sew 650 bags. Each bag took about 3.5 hours to be made, Rex said.
There are two versions — a brown and a green bag — with inside lining inspired by the Wright Brothers. Each bag has a patch, from Think Patented in Miamisburg, sewn on the inside featuring the NATO PA logo, along with a tag that says made in Dayton, Ohio.
The outer shell of the bags are made from "rescue fabric" — fabric that was originally designed to be used for firefighter turnout gear.
"This stuff was on its way to the landfill when we rescued it and were able to make something very functional and something very Dayton with it," Rex said.
The outside zipper pull features a 3D printed Wright B Flyer made by Kingman 3D Creations.
"Dayton is a city built on innovation and resilience. From the Wright Brothers to cutting edge aerospace and defense work happening today," Powell said. "These gift bags are more than tokens. They're expressions of Dayton's legacy."
Inside the bags, delegates will receive a commemorative coin.
Andrew McKenna, CEO of Hero Coins, designed the two-sided coins featuring the NATO PA logo on one side and the city of Dayton skyline on the other.
"Hero Coins, LLC is built on the same simple, powerful idea that everyday acts of courage and kindness deserve to be recognized," McKenna said. "These tokens tell a story. They say you matter. What you did mattered. Our deep commitment to community truly matters."
Destination Dayton will also provide snack bags to the NATO PA delegates filled with iconic Dayton flavors such as Cheez-It, Dayton Nuts and Esther Price Candies.
"These bags are just the beginning of what we hope will be an unforgettable experience for our guests," Powell said. "We look forward to welcoming the NATO PA to Dayton — where you'll always discover the unexpected."
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