Ines Basso Glick, Executive Director, Visits Grape Heart Knits, From The Heart of Napa Valley. Pictured with Susan Blake, coordinator, and volunteers.



A Letter From A Volunteer

Ladies,

Today my husband drove me to The River Fund to drop off the many bags of donations from Care to Knit. I had almost changed the drop off date to Monday because of today's rain, but decided to keep it to Saturday, because Swami and Shirley had wanted us to "see what they were all about."

When we approached the block, we saw there was a crowd of people in the area, with cars doubled parked, and a bit of a traffic jam. My husband parked down the block and I approached to let them know I was there with a drop off and needed help unloading. There was a long, orderly line of people, going down the block and snaking around the corner - people waiting patiently in the rain for their turn to go inside the building and get some food or clothing for their families. When they overheard me saying that I had a carload of knitted items from Care To Knit for The River Fund, some of the people in line started calling out:

"Do you have anything for a baby?"

"Is there anything that would fit a three year old?"

"Can you hold something aside for my niece?"

Of course, I told them I could not do the distribution, but that it was all going inside for Shirley to look through. Meanwhile, there was a truck which had something fall off and cause a traffic accident, and we had my husband pull up closer in front of a double parked car so we could unload - typical city pandemonium - I am glad he was driving instead of me!

Through all this, it is cold, and rain is pouring down, but these people just waited patiently for their turn. The whole time I was unloading, the line never even moved, but there was no pushing, no shoving, no complaining. Just needy people grateful for a chance to get something to help their families, no matter how long they had to wait in the rain. It reminded me of pictures I had seen of the Depression, with people waiting in bread lines.

Shirley was so excited when she saw all the bags - she said she got chills thinking about everything we had brought. I asked her about the Baby Shower, and she said they limit it to 12 women per month, so we have plenty for the January shower (although I hope to drop off more in January).

It was a very touching experience to see how much our knitting and crocheting means to people. I could not help but think of the Craft Fair, which of course I love doing; I know it brings much needed funds to our organization and get a thrill when someone buys something I made. But these people really NEED our things - not just as a gift, in a certain color, with ear flaps, or whatever the latest fad is. I was even happier thinking of the things I made for the Craft Fair which DID NOT sell, and were there inside the bags destined for someone who perhaps would have no other hat this winter but the one I made.

I have really enjoyed knitting and crocheting for charity; it has been a gift to me in my retirement years, and such a fun thing to share with my friends in Care to Knit. I hope I have many years and stitches ahead of me, but for every baby hat I make from now on I think I will always hear that woman's voice in my head, as she waited patiently in the rain:

"Do you have anything for a baby?"

Thanks for letting me be a part of your wonderful organization!
Michele