West Plains Yarners to create cowls for kids

The Airway Heights Friends of the Library is teaming up with the with the West Plains Yarners club to make and donate cowls, long-hooded garments with wide sleeves, for local children.

According to Airway Heights Library supervisor Stacy Hartkorn, the club joined the Friends of the Library and discussed different programs they could do for the West Plains. One of the first projects the club came up with was making cowls.

"Our hope is that we can give them to kids who don't have the proper winter wear," Hartkorn said. "We're also look at donating them to the food bank or Cleone's Closet."

The material for the cowls is being paid for by a $250 grant from the Thrivent Financial Foundation. According to their website, the Thrivent Financial Foundation is a private foundation that operates exclusively for charitable, educational and religious purposes. It provides grants for projects and missions that reflect the foundations' charitable interests of assisting nonprofit organizations and those they serve in achieving economic security and sustainability. Donna Gilbert, president of the Airway Heights Friends of the Library, wrote the grant proposal and bought the supplies once the club received the money.

Hartkorn said the club was meeting once a month, however one of the instructors left due to illness. She hopes the club will meet once the holidays are over.

The group will also accept donations of yarn. Hartkorn said that projects made with donated yarn will be given to people.

In addition to working on projects for charity, the club is also a group where West Plains residents can work on their own projects. Gilbert said the club accepts all levels of knitting experience.

"If they start at home and they don't know what to do next, they can bring it and get help," Gilbert said.

Al Stover can be reached at [email protected].