As wintertime approaches, local seniors are stitching up a storm to provide some warmth for those in need.
This year, residents at the Florentine retirement community knit 148 hats to donate to the food bank.
Their year-long endeavour produced hats in a variety of colours and sizes, explained crafter-in-chief Almerina Rizzardo. All of the yarn is donated by members of the community, she added.
“We have lots of fun. Not only are we making things but we are talking about what is happening in our lives. And then you get stories from way back when,” she said, noting they have already began work on next year’s hat haul.
Rizzardo is known for her sewing and stained glass work, but is always eager to learn new crafts and techniques based on what interests the Florentine residents.
“My inspiration comes from the ladies,” she said. “They come to me with ideas about what they want to learn, and if I don’t know how to do it, it’s time for me to learn.”
In addition to their donation of knit hats, the group of crafters has their eyes set on raising $1,000 for the food bank by selling refurbished Build-A-Bear plush toys.
Inspired by the philanthropic endeavour they took on last year rehabilitating dozens of discarded Cabbage Patch Kids dolls, the women worked hard bringing back to life bears that had seen better days.
Rizzardo scoured second-hand stores from across the province to build up a healthy collection of Build-A-Bears, and washed them at home. One of the crafters ironed their clothing and got them all ready, then the group set out all the outfit options and invited the community to the craft room for a ‘dress the bears party.’
The troupe has raised $860 of their $1,000 goal by selling the bears at the Florentine gift shop, and Rizzardo said she hopes to have the full amount ready by the end of November. She suggests a $25 donation per bear.
“I would love to donate a big cheque to the food bank because I know how much they need the money and how they are able to turn my $1,000 into $3,000 and buy all kinds of food for people who really need it,” she said. “I have been there when people come to pick up their bags, and it is pretty sad that we have this problem in our community.”