A Northam lady is on a mission to gather and donate 500 beanies to cancer patients by the end of the year.
The journey came about when Karen Ducat started sewing for the wheatbelt initiative Comfort Quilts.
The non-for-profit group is run by volunteers who knit scarves, beanies and quilts, that are then sent to someone with cancer, who has been nominated anonymously by a loved one.
Comfort Quilts chairperson and founder Bronwyn Dunn said the organisation has very few volunteers at the moment.
“In the past everyone was sent a beanie and a scarf,” she explained.
“When Karen came on board to help out, we didn’t have any beanies – we were down to nothing.”
Karen knew people who knitted and decided she could help the group.
“I got myself involved with Comfort Quilts in November last year.
“I thought it was a very worthwhile cause.
“December is the most stressful month of the year – mentally and physically – so I thought December is the month that I am going to do something about this.”
On December 1, Karen posted on her Facebook account that she wanted help from her friends and the community to make 50 beanies by the end of December.
“I had lots of people contact me to say they would love to be involved in this,” she said.
“By mid-way December we had 50 beanies, so I put the challenge up to 100.”
Karen received her 100th beanie last week on January 8.
Material and beanies were donated by the Toodyay Craft Group Happy Hookers, York Wheatbelt Women’s Health Hub, Lorraine Blank and many other generous people within the community.
Northam girl Lucy McManus donated a bag of wool for the initiative.
She said Karen was very supportive to her personally when her Mother lost her battle to cancer.
“Karen has done a lot for the community, more than people see,” she said. “When someone is helping others, people need to give back to that person – she needs a bit of help too.”
With the initiative gaining momentum, Karen has set another goal.
“I want this challenge to continue into the year of 2017,” she said. “We have set a challenge to receive 500 beanies before December.”
Bronwyn said Comfort Quilts has handed out 460 quilts in four and a half years.
“We send people from regional australia beautiful quilts that have been embroidered and patchworked,” she said.
“The majority of quilts go to the wheatbelt and the Avon Valley because we are very well known here,” she said.
Bronwyn said the group is always after volunteers who can help with knitting, sewing, embroidery or paperwork.
To donate a cotton beanie or scarf contact Bronwyn Dunn on 0422 671 300, via the Facebook Page or email comfortquilts@bigpond.com.