The Circle of Love Knitters was organized on the North Shore of Boston in 2008. Our name came from the circle of towns in the area where our knitters live. The initial idea was to make hats for children with cancer. The response was overwhelming. Working with senior centers all over the North Shore, we soon expanded the program to include hats for women with cancer; lap robes and shawls for the elderly; small teddy bears with knitted sweaters for children; and hats and scarves for the homeless.
We are going strong, and have delivered over five thousand knitted items to places where they are most needed. This includes five Boston hospitals, the regional Shriner’s Hospitals, and a summer camp in New York for children recovering from severe burns. We also deliver to local nursing homes and homeless shelters. We give teddy bears, wearing knit hats and sweaters, to our first responders, who pass them on to traumatized children in emergency situations. It helps to settle them down.
Much effort is put into this program. All of our many knitters make a huge contribution. One knitter is legally blind, and crochets beautiful lap robes of excellent quality. This is truly an amazing group of ladies.
We have received many extremely gratifying “thank you” notes. At the nursing and retirement homes, we often have a tea with some of the residents, and get to see their smiles as we deliver a shawl or lap robe to each of them personally. To know that our contribution is making a difference in someone’s life is heartwarming and very special to us all.
Sylvia Reilly Collins, 2/8/2012
