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Homeschool club knits friendships, gifts for newborns
The air of an old-fashioned quilting bee hovers over the Girls’ Handwork Club members, who are all abuzz with excitement after completing two gorgeous hand-crocheted and knitted blankets to give to newborn babies at Los Robles Regional Medical Center. Lead by home school teacher Ericka Mandrell, the club was searching for a community service project, and came across two service organizations on the Web, "Warm Up America" and "Newborns in Need." Both organizations help children, often prematurely born, with donated blankets and materials. Since Mandrell’s younger daughter Makenna was born a preemie herself, the two resources seemed like the perfect connection. The club was referred to Los Robles Regional Medical Center. The Girls’ Handwork Club consists of: London & Makenna Mandrell, ages 12 and 8, respectively; Amelia & Madeleine Ary, ages 14 and 12; Annie & Beth Blockweiss, both 13 and Amira Fulton, 12. The club, part of the Conejo Valley Home School group, put out an announcement in the school’s newsletter about the project to garner interest and donations. The group is still looking to collect crocheted and knitted squares for additional blankets. Parties interested in contributing may contact Mandrell at homesweethome@bigplanet.com. The girls started the project in January, and just completed the blankets two weeks ago. They made two blankets, each contributing squares of their own making. Fulton said that the best part of the project is seeing it when it’s done. The amount of work which goes into a single blanket would normally take about 18 months, said Mandrell. Considering that the girls meet for an hour and a half twice a month, they got a good deal of work done in a short amount of time. London has her own opinion about the best part of the blankets: "Holding them," she said. Attaching the pieces was both the most challenging and the most interesting aspect for the group. The process of working together has also seemed to work a web of understanding and deep friendship among the girls. "It’s become a very social group," said Mandrell. Some of the members enjoyed the project so much that they are continuing work on individually-made blankets themselves. Beth Blockweiss is making a combination of crochet and knitwork. "We might start hats and dresses next year," she said. London Mandrell and Annie Blockweiss are creating entire blankets using solely knitting. As only parents and grandparents are allowed in NeoNatal Intensive Care, Lori Pescetto, the nurse for Women’s and Children’s Services at Los Robles Hospital, explained that the girls would not be able to deliver the blankets personally. Still, said Pescetto, the coverlets will give the babies a sense of home and of love. "The blankets are perfect for that," she said. Babies given such items get to take them home. Carol Parker, the local contact for "Newborns in Need," visited the hospital on the day of the delivery to meet the girls. "I think it’s wonderful these girls are so excited. There will always be a need. I’m so proud of them," she said. Los Robles spokeswoman Kris Caraway Bowman said that the hospital always feels such a deep gratitude when something is given to babies and children, but this gift is especially meaningful. "When the gift comes from the children to the children…what a beautiful way to teach children about helping children," she said. "These are the future mothers of the Conejo Valley." For more information on "Warm Up America" and "Newborns in Need," see the web at http://warmupamerica.com/home.html, and http://newbornsinneed.org. |
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