Community Corner
Knitting for Troops
Hands from the Heartland is a group of South Suburban volunteers who knit and crochet items for soldiers serving in Afghanistan. Last October, they sent out over 400 handmade items to soldiers.
It all started two years ago when Mary McDermed was asked by a local veterans group to knit a scarf for a soldier serving in Afghanistan.
Now, her organization, Hands from the Heartland, has about 50 members who hail from Glenwood, Chicago Heights, Crete, Tinley Park, Frankfort, Mokena, Thornton, Homewood and other South Suburban communities. Some of its members come from as far away as Chicago and Indiana.
The group relies on donated yarn and materials because most members are on fixed incomes and can’t afford to pay out of pocket.
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“A $500 donation from the Homewood Veterans Committee got us going," McDermed said.
Hands from the Heartland knits and crochets helmet liners, hats, mittens and scarves under some very strict guidelines passed down by the U.S. Military. As a result, their meetings are sure to include demonstrations from members who are experienced in special techniques.
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Arlene Harms of Chicago Heights, for example, showed how she uses round knitting needles to create a hat or scarf.
Betty Carlos, of Crete, got involved with the group out of her love of craft, she said as she watched Darlene Schultz of Tinley Park demonstrate a crocheting technique during the meeting.
“I was knitting for the grandkids anyways,” Carlos explained. “I decided I’d put my time to good use (by knitting for soldiers).”
Last October, the group knitted and crocheted 400 items for troops in Afghanistan, according to McDermed.
“(The knitted items) will get a lot of use,” McDermed said. “These are men and women in combat situations.”
More recently, however, the group decided to branch out. Their "Orphan Project," involves making knitted and crocheted items for an Afghan orphanage. But that doesn’t mean they’ve cut down production for our troops.
“Our (soldiers) are our primary goal,” McDermed said.
So far, she’s already collected over 150 items for the next shipment.
Hands from the Heartland meets bimonthly will hold its next meeting on June 25, from 10 a.m. to noon, at .
