ELORA – What started as an activity to keep busy during COVID-19 lockdowns, has grown over the past 21 months into a major knitting project for residents at the Heritage River Retirement Residence.
And their work is benefitting people who live in poverty, people who are grieving and cats who are abandoned or homeless.
“It was already on the go when I got here,” said Brenda Hewson, who moved with her husband to the retirement residence in April 2020.
You’ll recall the lockdown early in the pandemic, where people were urged to stay at home as much as possible, and keep outings to essential shopping and appointments.
Those who could knit were happy to have something to do.
Residents at Heritage River were confined to their rooms for nine weeks.
“People were knitting squares but they didn’t know what to do with them. They had about 200 of them,” Hewson said.
Among the items the knitters at Heritage River make are these “twiddlemutts” with lots of textures for people with dementia.
Submitted photo
So the ladies – 10 or 20 of them – started stitching the squares together into afghans and lapghans.
They took some to the Guelph Humane Society, Wellington Terrace and Caressaant Care, “but no one wanted them,” Hewson said.
After casting about, the group learned that Cat’s Anonymous in Dufferin County and Arthur Cat Rescue were delighted to have a healthy supply of knitted blankets for their rescue animals. And the Suicide Prevention Council in Kitchener gives out blankets to bereaved clients.
There’s a lot of comfort in a knitted blanket.
And hats. The Centre Wellington Food Bank is happy to take hats for clients, “and that started the hat project,” said resident Lenore Prickett.
Staff at the residence reached out on Facebook, seeking donations of yarn, and bags and bags of wool started pouring in.
“Lately we’ve been getting bags with projects people have already started,” said Marilyn William, another resident and knitter.
“It feels glorious to do it,” Hewson added. “It was tough being locked in our rooms. So it was really nice to have something to do, and something that was helpful.
“We are a giving society it seems.”
The knitters at Heritage River are happy to accept more yarn if anyone wants to drop some off.
Any wool that’s not used is donated to New to You or Missions for Bibles.
The knitters want to acknowledge the contributions of two staff members, Sandi and Sharon, who have also helped with the project.
