The Grade 5 class at Manning Elementary showing off their 'Crochet for the Community' donations (photo courtesy of Melody McGrath-Tailor)

By Liam Verster

Grade 5 class in Manning makes, collects 100 items for women’s shelter

Jan 30, 2021 | 10:18 AM

As part of their ‘Crochet for the Community’ project, the Grade 5 class at Manning Elementary School made and collected home-made clothing and household items, which they then donated to the Peace River and Region Women’s Shelter.

The students in the class spent a few weeks crocheting items to be donated including scarfs, neck warmers, headbands that cover the wearer’s ears, and even mittens.

The class also collected donations of homemade scarves, gloves, toques and other items from members of the community.

All together, the class had over 100 items to donate to the shelter through this project, of which about half were made by the students.

A few of the students spoke to Everything GP, and they were quite pleased to make these items for people in need, and also happy to see the community come together to help with the project.

“I think it’s pretty cool that the rest of the community helped us,” said Hudson Graw, who made a multi-colour dishcloth and two brown headbands.

“It feels pretty cool, I feel like we helped the community lots,” said Kayton Reinders, who made a red dishcloth and two headbands, one was red and the other was brown.

Samantha Wiebe, who crocheted two purple dishcloths and brown and pink, multi-coloured, and brown and blue wrist warmers, added “It felt really good because the community was helping people in need.”

This is the fifth year that the Grade 5 class at Manning Elementary has been taught to crochet and make items for those in need, which McGrath-Tailor says is a wonderful learning opportunity.

“I think the younger that children can learn that it’s important to share with the community, the more full filling lives they are going to end up living.”

The items were delivered to the shelter on Tuesday, January 19, and McGrath-Tailor says they received a message back from thanking them for the donation, adding that the items will be put to good use.

Though this particular project is done, McGrath-Tailor says they do plan on continuing to give back in the community. The students have pen-pals at the Del-Air Lodge, which they call their ‘Lodge Buddies,’ and this year the students will be making stuffed animals as Valentines gifts for their buddies, which McGrath-Tailor says will go a long way this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.