Knitting is a huge part of Ruth Doerr and Peggy Barr’s daily routine, and now it’s really paying off for struggling families in Calgary.
The two women are residents of The Hamlets at Cedarwood Station seniors’ home in Airdrie, where they get out their needles and yarn right after breakfast.
“We meet down in the lobby and start knitting until lunch,” Doerr said. “After lunch we start over again until supper. And then we go in our own suites.”
“And knit,” Barr added, “until we go to bed.”
That hard work has yielded 30 blankets, which the women delivered to the Inn from the Cold shelter in downtown Calgary.
“Wow. Beautiful,” the shelter’s Kara Layher said, after seeing the blankets. “They’re a perfect size for babies. Last year we had 13 babies born in (the) shelter.”
“It’s mind-boggling how much need there is,” Doerr said.
“We’re always in need of baby blankets so these are great,” Layher said.
“I like to help other people that are in need,” Barr said.
The women have also made hats for premature babies and cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
“It’s just a great example of how every little bit helps,” Layher said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a billionaire or you just love to knit, you can have a big impact.”