Ewen McRae
With the winter chill setting in, a talented group of local seniors have been busy helping those in need stay warm.
As part of Melton council’s CommuKnitty Crafters program, more than 100 knee blankets have been made for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, with the donation taking place recently.
Melton mayor Lara Carli said she was moved by the dedication of the 86 local seniors who knitted and crocheted the blankets.
“I’m continually impressed by the generosity of our residents,” Cr Carli said.
“These seniors have each spent about 20 hours handcrafting blankets for complete strangers. It’s an extraordinary gesture and we thank them for their work.
“This project is something council introduced to engage seniors during COVID-19 restrictions. It’s become a wonderful way for our seniors to connect, with many sharing their progress and creations via our new City of Melton Seniors Facebook page.
“It’s lovely to think that the blankets will soon be warming the knees of people receiving treatment at Peter Mac. This is a heart-warming project which council is continually proud to be part of.”
Most of the donated blankets will go directly to Peter Mac cancer patients, with some destined for the Peter Mac shop which helps to raise funds for the cancer centre.
The next CommuKnitty Crafters project will be knitting or crocheting blankets, gloves, or scarves for women and children escaping domestic violence and for Indigenous families in need.
Melton residents aged 50 or over who would like to get involved in the next project can email darrenc@melton.vic.gov.au or call 9747 7332.
Ewen McRae
