Crofton Woman Crochets Meeps To Help People Through Tough Times

CROFTON, MD — Twelve years ago, Maura Moore of Crofton learned to crochet so she could create something special for her friend's son's birth. As a high school English teacher in New York at the time, she asked a co-worker to teach her how. Today, Moore loves helping others learn how to crochet, including her Montgomery County Public Schools students, and has been crocheting and handing out what she's named "meeps" before the emotional pandemic struck.

Moore calls her project designed to bring a smile to others' faces as "All You Meep is Love," a twist on the Beatles song "All You Need is Love." Meeps are an emotional support orb, something Moore described to Patch as a "buddy you can keep with you to help you deal with the life-y parts of life." But giving away meeps isn't the only part of Moore's project that makes her smile.

"Part of making meeps was a healing process for me, too. Sometimes in life, things get taken from us because negative experiences become associated with them. The process of taking those back is called reclaiming. Since I was trying to rise from the ashes of a storm in my life, and seeing so many others around me struggling through their own storms, I thought this experience would be a great way to reclaim music I once used to love," Moore said. "I also love the idea that love wins. Real love. The kind that is meant because you care about others. In the face of a lot of ugly in the world, and lot of hatred and pain, love wins. That is what the meeps are about, choosing love, even in times of pain."

She gave her first crocheted orb to her husband. She wanted him to know that he was more than the actions that led to their troubles and was surprised when she spied him with it in his pocket or his hands.

Even though meeps are small, Moore said they are mighty.

"They love holding things, especially heavy things. So you just give your meep a squeeze and it will hold whatever you are dealing with for as long as you need. They love to feel useful and like that they are helping you to unload for a time," she said. "It has to be so endearing to know you're thinking of them and went out of the way to do this for them."

After bestowing the emotional orb upon those she felt could use them, she decided to make a meep for all of her students. She spent spring break at the Ritz Carlton Orlando crocheting the entire time and had 99 meeps ready to be handed out when she returned to school. Sadly, no one returned to school after spring break due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Because of the pandemic, Moore has a closet full of meeps sitting in labeled bags, waiting to be delivered to the students who still are awaiting one.

"Last year, I started something called Meep of the Week. That meant every Thursday and Friday, we have even and odd days at my school, I would end the lesson by talking about one student in the class and the cool things I was observing about that student that week. It could be anything: they had helped a friend, shared some of their writing with the class, participated more, done well on a test or assignment, or showed real integrity or courage in a situation. Once we went into remote instruction, I kept that up but it changed to Mondays and I would have it at the end of my Screencastify for the week, which was me recording the week's overview," she said.

Moore also posted a pic of a meep on social media and received a considerable amount of requests from friends and family who wanted one.

"It was crazy how it just kept growing. I was so surprised. Then friends started asking for their friends or sharing and then someone I didn't even know would ask if they could get one. I would share all of my stories about what was happening with the meeps with my students and they finally convinced me to make a social media page. It just continued growing from there," Moore said. "I think my favorite thing about people receiving meeps is that they realize someone sees them. Whether it's me as their teacher or someone who asks for one for a friend or loved one. It's so wonderful to know people are out there that love us, see us, and care for us."

So far, Moore has created at least 1,000 meeps and is spreading love, support and comfort one squishy, squeezable, lovable orb at a time.