Volunteer program provides winter items for Head Start
Ryan Murray | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 9 years, 12 months AGO
<p>Isaac Taylor smiles and looks up at Marcy Otten as he picks out the hat and mittens he wants on Monday morning, November 17, at Head Start in Kalispell. The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Flathead County gave 225 sets of hats and mittens to the students at Head Start. Through out the Flathead Valley they will be donating more than 1,000 sets. According to Volunteer Coordinator Leslie Potter any one who wants to knit is encouraged to volunteer. They are also looking for people who are interested in donating yarn to the project. For more information Potter can be reached at 75…
<p>Two hundred and twenty five hats and mittens were given to pre-school students at Head Start in Kalispell on Monday, November 17. The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program will give out more than 1,000 sets this year. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
<p>Kay Morton and education assistant at Head Start in Kalispell smiles as she helps a student with his new hat and mittens on Monday, November 17. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
Thanks to the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, children at Northwest Montana Head Start might be a little bit warmer this winter.
More than 30 volunteers donated hundreds of hours of time to knit, crochet, quilt and sew winter items for the 200-plus students at Head Start on Monday morning.
Each child left school that day with a matching pair of hats and mittens they can leave at school. More than 1,000 items were lovingly crafted by the senior volunteer program, a part of the Agency on Aging.
But Head Start wasn’t the only place to benefit from the winter wear made by the volunteers.
Leslie Potter, one of the volunteer organizers for he program, said elementary schools in the Flathead Valley would receive matching hats and mittens as well.
North Valley Hospital and Kalispell Regional Medical Center will receive baby hats, booties, bibs and baby blankets for their birthing centers. Nursing homes will get blankets and afghans.
The Abbie Shelter and Hope Pregnancy Resource Center also will receive handmade items.
One volunteer, Phillis Edmiston, made 86 hats in honor of her 86th birthday.
The reason RSVP makes all the winter gear is part of a push by Winter Ready Montana, a call to service by the Governor’s Office of Community Service. Winter Ready encourages Montanans to help neighbors and vulnerable populations get through the cold winter.
For more information or to help make or donate winter gear, contact RSVP at 758-5712.
Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.