This is an updated article from the archives. <3
I try to stay on top of the news around the world that’s happening in regards to crochet. I’m curious about it. I like to know what other people are doing with crochet. One of the types of news that comes up a lot is stories about crocheting for a cause. This is a great thing. It allows you to take your hobby and turn it into something that helps other people in some way. It’s something that I’ve seen serve as a benefit to people from all walks of life – both the recipients of the gifts and the makers themselves. I’ve included this type of crochet in Hook to Heal because I know that it can bring so much to the crafter’s life. And of course it can make a difference in the world around us as well. A group of five elderly women in Iowa provide a great example of how small groups of people can make a big difference in the world using their crochet.
The Globe Gazette reported that five women living together in The Evergreen Senior Living community decided to work together to crochet for charity. They only meet formally once per month but they work on their own projects together and independently on a much more frequent basis. In the first four months since they started to craft together and become known as The Evergreen Crochet Club, the women have done a lot:
- They made approximately forty hats and donated them to Warm Up America. This is a non profit organization that distributes the hats to newborns in need around the world.
- They made approximately forty more hats for newborns. These are being donated to the St. Marys Hospital in Rochester in Minnesota.
- They made more hats for Cally Neiss’ cancer bags. These bags are used for cancer patients at Mercy Cancer Center-North Iowa in Mason City.
- They have crocheted blocks to be used in afghans. They finished one afghan already and sent it to the Crisis Intervention Center in mason City. They are working on additional afghans.
- At least one member has been working on mittens which are being donated to a couple of different local spots including a homeless shelter.
That’s a lot of work from a few little old ladies! They’re doing a great job helping out their community as well as others in the wider world. Surely it helps them out as well, giving them something to do in their community together while forming important friendships with one another. In fact, at least one of them was explicit about the healing it offered her:
“”I started crocheting when I lost my son in 1984,” said Fredericks. “It is what saved me.”
It sounds like she’s been crocheting ever since!
Like this article? You might also like:
- 20 charities that accept crochet donations
- 11 stories about amazing people who crochet
- 104 year old woman who yarnbombs
- 15 blind and visually impaired crocheters