Handmade hats warm heads, hearts
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PABLO – As temperatures start to drop, the children at Pablo Elementary School will stay warm thanks to the donation of more than 200 hand-knit hats from a knitter in Pennsylvania.
“The students are very excited to get the hats,” said Kathy Smith, Pablo Elementary reading facilitator. “Some of our children have never received handmade gifts, and they feel special knowing someone created these hats for them.”
Mary Wilson, 88, knit the hats one colored ball of yarn at a time from her living room in Freedom, Pennsylvania. “I love to knit,” Wilson said.
She began knitting “a number of years ago” around the age 14, and her knitting needles have been in constant motion ever since. If there’s one thing Wilson can’t tolerate, it’s seeing a pair of knitting needles lying idle.
“I can’t sit still,” Wilson said. “I have to keep my hands busy.”
Wilson’s love for knitting grew into a yearly hat-giveaway several years ago. She learned of the need for donated knitted items such as winter hats, scarves and gloves to help school kids about 10 years ago. She jumped at the chance to help and her needles have been clicking ever since.
Wilson’s brightly colored hats have already gone to various schools in Alaska, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Montana. She has sent about 3,500 hats to different schools since she began knitting.
“This is the fourth year that Mary has knit and mailed hats to our school,” Smith said. “We deeply appreciate her sharing with our students. Mary is truly an inspiration to me. She is a senior citizen that keeps active in serving others. She is an energetic, kind person that loves giving and doing things for others. She really has a heart for children.”
