Plainfield Group Honored For Donating To Silver Cross Hospital

On December 1, 2021, the president of Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, Ruth Colby, came to the Carillon retirement community in Plainfield with three members of her staff to thank the communities’ knitting and crocheting group known as the “Crafty Crafter” for their significant donations to the hospital over the past two years. Silver Cross was grateful because during the last 18 months the Carillon knitting group has donated over 1,600 knitted and crocheted medical items including Covid-19 mask extenders, chemo-caps for cancer patients, and baby-caps for the newborn to the hospital. These items have a commercial value of over $17,000.

The Silver Cross President spent about an hour with the 30 member group during one of their normal knitting sessions at the Carillon clubhouse. She spoke with and thanked each member of the group. The group then showed the hospital president how they made the knitted medical items. It was a very cordial visit where the Carillon and Silver Cross groups shared cookies, punch, stories, and laughter. Each of the knitters received a personal gift from President Ruth Colby.

At the meeting, the Ruth Colby requested the Carillon knitters to supply the hospital with additional new items in 2022 including Afghans, prayer-shawls, lap robes, and baby caps. The Carillon group agreed to make and donate these items to the hospital in the upcoming year. This is a large commitment of time and materials. The knitting group estimated that in 2022, more than six thousand hours will be spent making these items. Carillon’s “Activities Committee”, headed by Joanne Cararra, supplies the resources and money required for materials.

A partnership has formed between these two groups with the same goal in mind: To aid the hospital’s sick and newborn by supplying them with attractive, custom made, medical clothing and accessories.

The Carillon leaders in this partnership are Carol J Voyt, Jayne Hochstetler and John Overend. Carol Voyt has been the leader of Carillons “Crafty Crafters” for about 11 years. Carol realized the special and occasional overwhelming needs of hospitals during the Covid-19 pandemic. Jayne Hochstetler founded the “Crafty Crafters” just over 20 years ago and conceived of the hospital donation program in 2020. John Overend has been a Silver Cross Hospital volunteer for many years. He is the liaison between the hospital and the knitting group. He transports the Carillon donations to Silver Cross.

Photos and videos were taken during the visit by a professional photographer. These were posted to the Carillon and Silver Crosses Facebook Timelines. These Facebook posts offer a detailed account of the Silver Cross visit to Carillon.