Audrey Murrell called Dec. 4 a “two for one” day.
Not only did her friends, family and colleagues celebrate the executive director of the Augusta Training Shop’s 25th anniversary with the organization, but they also got a chance to see her appearance on “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” where she talked about the training shop’s history, mission and artisans.
“The mission of my heart is to help people who don’t have a platform,” said Murrell to those gathered at the Jenkins Street location Thursday.
Before the show started, she shared some behind-the-scenes tidbits. The show was taped about two weeks ago in New York City, where she received star treatment including a limo ride and having her hair and make-up done prior to filming.
One of the most stressful parts was deciding what to wear, she said. They gave her instructions prior to heading to New York.
“They told me ‘no black, no white, no designs,’” said Murrell. That effectively eliminated a majority of her wardrobe.
She submitted three possibilities and her size — just in case. And it all worked out.
She’d never experienced a live studio audience before and admitted to being nervous prior to being introduced. She walked out to full lights and every eye on her. She said she remembered seeing the full house and the band to her left.
“I don’t remember much after that,” she said.
The Augusta Training Shop began in 1947 as a way to help adults with intellectual disabilities after they aged out of the school system. At the time, many of those adults were placed in institutions, but their families wanted something more for them.
For many years, the organization generated income through the re-caning of chairs and donations. The caning process left pieces of material, giving Murrell an idea. She introduced the creation of items such as snowflakes and crosses as a way to recycle and repurpose the material as well as generate another source of income.
“If you buy a snowflake or one of our products, you are giving five people a job,” she said on the show.
Murrell said the artisans at the training shop receive a paycheck plus a lot of joy and pride in their creations. Not only do the artisans put their time and talent into their pieces, but they add a lot of love to them too.
At the shop, they also form friendships with people they work with.
One artisan is Beverly Sapp who likes to check up on people and always calls to make sure people get home because the world can be a scary place, she said. A video of Sapp dancing was included in the segment – much to Sapp’s surprise and the home audience’s delight.
Murrell’s interview with Clarkson ended with the singer announcing a $5,000 donation to the shop.
Murrell’s desire to work with special needs’ individuals came from a childhood friendship. She started at the training shop as an intern while she was in college. She was later hired as the bookkeeper. When Edna West retired, she applied for the job and became the executive director.
With the national exposure, artisans are bracing for an influx of orders. It’s not the first time they’ve received attention outside Augusta.
Trenton Martin, who has worked at the shop for nine years, remembers orders pouring in for his snowflakes after they were featured on ABC several years ago.
“That was a big surprise. I loved it,” he said about being the training shop’s appearance on ABC.
To learn more about the training shop, go here. The shop is open from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years. She’s won multiple Georgia Press Association awards, is the recipient of the 2018 Greater Augusta Arts Council’s media award and was named Augusta Magazine’s best local writer in 2024 and 2025. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
