The 100 Mile House Cruzers gifted the 87 residents at Fischer Place, Millsite Lodge and Carefree Manor handmade crocheted blankets this Christmas, (Dec. 24).
The original plan had been for 20 but they decided they couldn’t leave anyone out. Soon enough, with the hat being passed around, they’d gotten a couple of hundred dollars together for wool. Along with the blankets, they also brought Santa and Mrs. Claus to residents. The project had been in the works for some time according to Sharon Keen, one of the organizers and a member of the 100 Mile Cruzers.
“We had a big barbecue out at Deka Lake in the summertime and it was kinda cold outside so we ended up going into the shop and we had a little circle and some of our lady-members had never really done anything like that so we had a crochet lesson circle.”
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They got lots of help from the community, including the hospital auxiliary, says Keen
“We’ve had really good vibes from the community and it’s really exciting to have something at Christmas,” she says. “There’s a lot of elderly people who don’t have family.”
However, their work didn’t stop at blankets as soon enough they were also making toques as they had lots of bits and pieces of leftover wool.
“So one of our members approached Rita [Case] and said there was a need in the elementary schools for kids that don’t have hats.”
With what they had done already, they initially thought probably not this year, but ultimately ended up handing out 12 sets of hats and gloves to each of the schools, the latter of which they bought or were donated, according to Keen.
“A couple of our members that never ever tried to do them before, they got into it.”
The hats are something they hope to keep going, she says. The blankets were a big project and they probably can’t to that every year, says Keen.
As a result of all the recent activity, they’ll be considering an auxiliary at their January meeting.
“We want everything that we do to stay in the community.”
If anyone knows of another group that’s in need of hats or would like to join the cruzers, email 100milecruzers@gmail.com.
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