Laughs N Crafts donates knitted goods to help those in need

The North Bay Firefighters Association was greeted with a heartfelt donation and the pleasant smiles from the talented women from ‘Laughs N Crafts’.

This week, local firefighters had the benefit of collecting hundreds of items of knitted apparel donated by the hardworking hands and hearts of the ladies at the Empire Living Centre.

The knitters have been working on their pieces throughout the year, anticipating this day when the firefighters come to pack up and distributed their works to keep needy kids and adults warm this winter.

Loretta McKenzie, a resident at Empire Living, began knitting over 50 years ago and began the initiative to donate knitted goods a year ago to those in need.

News of the cause spread quickly to numerous volunteers, who got on board and starting knitting for the activity in order to donate to the local needy.

“We have about ten ardent knitters and then we have the odd one who’s not so ardent,” says McKenzie.

June McDonald, one of those ardent ladies, says they begin their work on the first of January and from that point on, they knitted their crafts, starting every Tuesday at 10am up until around 11:30am in the morning.

“But the ones that really knit, they carry it everywhere,” says McDonald.

“It’s for a great cause, it’s a conversation and, oh, the firemen,” she adds.

The colourful yarns, put together with caring hearts of the elderly retired residents, will be much appreciated by many who rely on L.I.P.I (Low Income People Involvement of Nipissing) as a resource.

L.I.P.I representative Tanya Vrebosch says thanks to the special efforts of the Laughs N Crafts, over 500 kids and 300 families will receive toques, hats, scarves, mitts and socks this year.

“I don’t know what we would do without these ladies,” says Vrebosch, adding “we have a lot of cold kids out there and it’s amazing what they’ve done.”

Chris Cuthbertson, Charity Chairperson for the North Bay Professional Firefighters Association, along with his colleagues, was overwhelmed by this year’s sea of knitted works.

“It’s fabulous, these ladies have outdone themselves,” says Cuthbertson.

The organization was on hand last year to pick up donated knits and Cuthbertson says it’s a special project they will continue to be a part of, so long as it’s needed.

“To see the smiles on the children’s faces at the end of the day, that’s what’s most important to us,” he says.