The Villages is a retirement community in central Florida. It has over 100,000 residents and hundreds of clubs to join. Retirees who like to knit can join a club called the Boomer Loomers, which meets every Saturday at one of the many Villages recreation centers. This year, Boomer Loomers agreed on a new idea called "Project America," making mittens, hats and blankets for needy people in all 50 states. Members adopted states, sometimes focusing on their former hometowns, and reached out to natal intensive care units and homeless shelters to determine needs. Then they started knitting, using donated yarn.
Mike Johnson / Daily Sun
By the end of June, Loomers had created 4,144 items which were shipped to all 50 states. Most Project America items, 2,311 of them, were donated to NICU's across the country. Another 1,478 were sent to homeless shelters, and 355 were dropped off at cancer treatment centers. "It just goes on an on," says retiree Any Donato. "The need is always there. No matter where you go, back up north or locally, it's always there."
Thank you Dave for telling our story. It is now almost 2021 and the Boomer Loomers are still spreading the love. Because of Covid, we have been working from home, but our hands are still busy and our hearts are still giving. If you know of any cause that could use our goods, please let us know. May God bless you!
ReplyDeleteAmy Donato