During the fall of 2007, the Mariposa Elementary School After School Program, K.I.D.S. Club, accepted a challenge put to them by staff.  The challenge was to knit hats for patients at Valley Children’s Hospital.

To better understand this project, club members talked about the different types of patients who might benefit from an item such as a hat. We found that many of our members had visited Valley Children’s or knew of someone who had been a patient there. Most members understood the need and that many diseases cause loss of hair, such as cancer.

The group agreed on a goal of 20 hats for our first year and staff reached out to the community for donations of yarn. The response was more than positive with enough yarn donated to complete our goal and have additional yarn on hand for next year. Hats are made using round looms and all age groups were able to participate.  Over one half of our membership tried their hand at this project with excellent results.

Mary Panella, a representative from the Child Life Department at the Hospital was impressed by our commitment to this project.  She stated that there are adult groups who have knitted hats and blankets for patients but this is the first children’s group to do it.

Submitted by Marty Livingston Teacher/Coordinator