By Faith Edwards
Crochet Away is a weekly gathering of students who are interested in crocheting. On the second floor of the Campus Center in the Delbridge Career Center, we crochet scarves to give to those who are going through a rough time. We seek to simply remind them that someone cares and someone is thinking of them.
Last semester we gave scarves to the staff in Health Services as a way to say thank you for all their hard work. We also gave scarves out randomly to those we noticed were having a hard time. This semester we have been giving scarves to students who are in isolation to remind them that we are thinking of them even as we are apart.
Crochet Away began as an idea that emerged in a conversation between Sheila Hanifin, Yanella Pallo Trivino, and myself. Sheila mentioned that the Spiritual Life Office once had a group that would make prayer shawls to give to people, and she wished to do something similar again. However, she noted that it would take a significant amount of time and materials to make prayer shawls, so she suggested scarves instead.
I offered to help teach others to crochet and Yanella excitedly agreed to be one of our first members. We were so excited about this idea and we couldn’t wait to get started. We recruited Loris Epps in the Career Center to aid us in our efforts, and soon, it seemed like yarn was coming in the mail every week.
Each Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. we have a small gathering of students who come and share their time and skills with us. Crocheting is such a relaxing activity, and it allows us to slow down, talk, and get to know one another. This group has been such a blessing, and I’m so glad that we have been able to use our time and talents to give to those in our community.
