DECEMBER 9, 2014 / Legacy Project / Marion Wells has not only helped build a more caring community for years as head of the Whitchurch-Stouffville Food Bank, but also needed a little extra caring herself after a theft at the Food Bank. So WS YOU 177 scarfed her – a surprise gift of a handmade orange scarf. As a community-wide initiative, WS YOU 177 is asking all local knitters and crocheters to contribute orange scarves to give a little extra caring to those in need. You can also nominate people you think are deserving of being scarfed.
A scarfing is a surprise gift of an orange YOU 177 scarf to someone helping create a caring community OR to someone who might be able to use a little extra caring.
"Orange is the new colour of caring in Whitchurch-Stouffville," says Susan Bosak, who heads the Legacy Project that's part of the WS YOU 177 collaborative. "What better way to show people of all ages that we care than with a warm, cozy, handmade scarf?"
As Whitchurch-Stouffville grows, it's all about knitting a stronger community and keeping that small-town feeling of caring.
WS YOU 177 is asking everyone who knits or crochets in Whitchurch-Stouffville – or they can teach you if you'd like to learn! – to contribute orange scarves. All lengths and patterns of scarves are needed, for children, teens, men, and women.
You can knit or crochet orange scarves at home. WS YOU 177 will be collecting scarves over the next couple of months. They can pick them up, or you can drop them off to Carolyn Nordheimer James at the Whitchurch-Stouffville Public Library, 2 Park Drive, Whitchurch-Stouffville.
You can drop in to the intergenerational Loops group, a knitting and crochet program for all ages, from 10 to 100 years. Learn a new skill or share your expertise while meeting new friends. Make items for yourself along with helping to knit a stronger community for everyone. Loops meets Tuesdays, 4:00-5:30 pm at Parkview Home (in partnership with the WSP Library and the WS Food Bank), 123 Weldon Road, Whitchurch-Stouffville.
WS YOU 177 is running a Knit-A-Thon on Saturday, January 17, 1:00-4:00 pm at Stouffville Creek, 40 Freel Lane, Whitchurch-Stouffville. It's a family event open to everyone, of any age, who's interested. Music and refreshments will help make a great afternoon. And there will be lots of orange scarves – you can drop them off, or sit and knit.
WS YOU 177 is a broad-based community collaborative that includes the WSP Library, Legacy Project,
local media, service clubs, faith-based groups, schools and seniors groups. It's been made possible through grants from United Way York Region and the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
YOU 177 is a social innovation initiative that empowers YOU to make a difference in a big-picture context – 1 World with 7 Generations and 7 Billion People. Based on a decade of research, it's a community process that taps into what matters to transform everything we do, from the way we live with each other and our planet to how we learn, do business, grow up and grow older. New community connections will lead to innovative community action projects.
To find out more about WS YOU 177 scarfings, including contributing scarves and the shade of orange yarn to use, OR to nominate someone to be scarfed,
visit www.wsyou177.org or call (905) 852-3777. |
