Nanaimo Community Hospice wants to provide comfort for those seeking grief and palliative support, but it needs a little help.
Volunteers are needed to knit and crochet comfort shawls – colourful, soft blankets for people using Hospice’s services.
Anyone interested can sign out a kit and a pattern put together by Hospice volunteer Melody Lang. The yarn has been donated from a variety of sources, and hospice estimates each shawl will require about 25 hours to complete. Knitters with their own pattern and yarn are also welcome to donate their creations.
“These shawls are like a big warm hug and are given to individuals who come to us for support,” said Shannon Farahbakhsh, Hospice program coordinator. “Shawls are picked to reflect the unique needs of the Hospice clients, keeping in mind their preference for colours or textures. The shawls provide comfort when people are often at their most vulnerable.”
Since 2007, Hospice volunteers have spent 4,100 hours knitting 165 comfort shawls for people who are either dying, caregiving or grieving a loss.
Anyone interested in helping out with this knitting/crocheting project can call 250-758-8857 to arrange to pick up a kit and find out more about this program.
As well, Hospice is recruiting for its fall volunteer training. For more information, please go to www.nanaimohospice.com.