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For Immediate Release
March 30, 2006
Knit-Wits Needed Year-Round
Oklahoma City—If you think it’s time to give
those knitting needles a rest, think again. A group of knitters, dubbed
the Knit-Wits, are busy knitting handmade throws for Mercy Hospice
patients. And although spring is beginning to emerge, knitting needles
across the city are clicking, clacking and creating a constant
commotion.
“Think colorful. Think hodgepodge. And think about
how you can bring maybe a little comfort and a little warmth to someone
facing death,” said Cheryl Melton, co-founder of Oklahoma City’s
Knit-Wits. “Our group loves to knit but it means a great deal that we
can knit or crochet something that might bring Mercy Hospice patients
some comfort.”
The third Friday of every month, the small group of
knitters gathers at The Gourmet Yarn Co. to create 7-by-9-inch
rectangles which in turn get pieced together as 28-by-36-inch throws.
Since the group’s inception this winter, the Knit-Wits have made three
dozen throws for Mercy Hospice patients.
“One lady just makes the rectangles, one likes to
put them together and some like to make the whole throw from start to
finish,” said Melton. “Other people clean out their yarn closets and
donate yarn which we are ever grateful for. You don’t have to knit to be
a Knit-Wit.”
What motivates a Knit-Wit varies among members. One
gal in the group had a mother who had been a Mercy Hospice patient, and
for her, it was a way to return kindness to others in similar
situations. For others, it’s an outlet for their need to knit.
“I had knitted and crocheted everything I possibly
could for myself and my family,” said Melton. “And even though at the
moment we have plenty of yarn, we are always in need of more knitters.”
Knitters are welcome to knit on their own, join the
monthly meetings, or do both. To join the Knit-Wits, call Melton at
(405) 348-1634, or Margaret Bauer, Knit-Wit co-founder and owner of The
Gourmet Yarn Co., at (405) 286-3737.
“It’s amazing how something so simple as a throw can
brighten a hospice patient’s day,” said Shannon Rowland, Mercy At Home
volunteer coordinator. “Maybe it’s that when we are faced with
end-of-life issues, the littlest things can remind us of how large and
loving this world can be.”
For more information about Mercy Hospice, call (405)
936-5242.
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