OLA's Nifty Knitters experience joy of giving

By Christina Galeone | CFP Correspondent

WORCESTER – Being able to take a skein of colorful yarn and turn it into a warm, cozy hat, scarf or baby blanket can make someone feel like she’s part of something almost magical.
Years ago, those were skills that grandmothers frequently taught their grandchildren. So when Mary Plante, a first-grade teacher at Our Lady of the Angels Elementary School, saw that tradition waning, she formed an after-school club that would give students the chance to learn how to knit and crochet.
But the Our Lady of the Angels Nifty Knitters and Crochet Club lets the students experience more than the joy of creating beautiful hand-crafted items. It gives them the chance to use what they’ve learned in the club to make a difference in their community. Throughout the school year, the students craft labors of love for babies and children in local hospitals.
Started by Mrs. Plante – because of the need she saw and in honor of her grandmother, who passed her skills in the fiber arts down to her – the ministry is open to students in grades 6, 7 and 8. Once a week, about 15-20 students gather to learn how to knit or crochet and work on their projects.
In 2016 they made hats for the premature infants at St. Vincent Hospital and the UMass Memorial Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU). In 2017, they created headbands, hats and pillows for pediatric cancer patients at UMass Memorial Hospital.  And in February – heart month – they’ll deliver red hats to the UMass Memorial NICU. The idea is to remind the mothers to exercise and eat healthy foods to promote heart health.
Mrs. Plante said her son Edward was in the NICU in 1984.
“This wasn’t around back then,” she said. “I would have loved to have something like this for him – just to know someone cares.”
Edward fared well anyway; he just got married in August, his mother said.
In addition to brightening the lives of children and infants in need of compassion and care, Mrs. Plante cherishes the impact the club has on students.
“They just love this ministry,” she said, and noted that parents have told her they believe their children’s new skills have helped reduce stress. “I see students – boys and girls – helping one another in learning this skill. It has helped break down social barriers, foster community and understanding, and develop an awareness of those in need.”
“It’s fun and supports a great cause,” said Ryan Hunter, an eighth-grader. “You get to socialize and see your work come together. It helps you make new friends” in other grades.
“It’s a good cause and it teaches you a good skill and it’s really nice” to give babies a handmade item to take home, said his classmate Anna Richardson.
“I think it’s fun,” said sixth-grader Jordan Lyon. “I always love to learn new things. So it was good to have a new skill.”
“I knew how to knit and wanted to learn to crochet,” said Delaney Cox. “I wanted to see what the difference was.”
Doreen Albert, the school’s principal, couldn’t be happier about the ministry. She said she thinks what Mrs. Plante is doing is wonderful. She thoroughly enjoys hearing the students speak about their projects with satisfaction and pride.
“Service to others is an important part of who we are as a school community,” said Mrs. Albert.  “In many ways, during the course of the school year we work together to help those around us in need. Mrs. Plante drives those values home using hands on, heart-driven desire to make a difference with the mission of the Nifty Knitters Club.”
And the difference the club has made – for infants and children and their families, as well as for the students – continues to bring a lot of happiness to Mrs. Plante.
“I’ve seen how they look when they’ve accomplished making a hat; the sheer joy and anticipation to start a new one makes my heart rejoice,” she said. “The accomplishments of these children will carry me a lifetime.”

 – Tanya Connor contributed to this report.