Crocheting for the Cause

Autumn R. and Kathleen B. have both been busy crocheting hats, scarves, bibs, blankets and wash cloths, then donating the homemade goods to those in need.  Both enjoy doing crafts throughout the year such as cross-stitch and quilting.  After making homemade ornaments for friends and family, Kathleen likes to “switch gears” and work with yarn. Autumn’s mother taught her to crochet, however she taught herself how to make hats. To find the time, both use TV watching and car travel to pull out their projects. 

A hand-made, crocheted blanket Autumn made this year.

They purchase most of the yarn themselves; however, when people find out what they are doing with their creations, some yarn is donated.  Autumn sells hats/scarves/ blankets at the beginning of the season and uses that money to buy more yarn.  The Internet has proven to be a great source of free patterns and stores provide free “Take-Ones” in the yarn department.  Autumn says she has made up a number of the patterns she uses. 

Diana W., with the Kim Foundation has been a great resource to help distribute the homemade items giving to the Visiting Nurses Association, women’s shelters, Ronald McDonald House, and many other deserving groups. Leukemia patients, a charity very close to Autumn, and the Maple Crest Nursing home get a couple of throw blankets every year. This year Kathleen also donated an old cell phone for the YWCA Domestic Violence program. 

Both Kathleen and Autumn say that it is such a good feeling to give of yourself for the benefit of others and to give to people who do not have the means to get for themselves.

Free Throw Fundraiser

As Coach of a seventh-grade girl’s select basketball team, Bret W., C&A’s HR Director, is always looking for ways to motivate the team toward improvement. This holiday season, Bret and his team organized a Free Throw Fundraiser that not only improved their free throw skills, but raised $1800 for the Boys and Girls Club.

Bret and his team’s success story was recently reported on by the Omaha World Herald.