Brownie Troop Donates Blankets to Ela Charity Knit & Crochet

Third-graders from Mundelein Brownie Troop 40715 recently attended a meeting of Ela Charity Knit & Crochet to donate about 15 blankets they made, and to learn more about knitting and crocheting from the club's knowledgable members.

The blankets will be used to comfort babies and children in need.

"This gift is going make some children so, so happy," said Social Worker Roberta Smith of Ela Township's Community and Family Services, which created and sponsors Charity Knit & Crochet.

Each girl in Troop 40715 made a blanket as part of a Girl Scout service project, said troop leader Leann Zanardo. They include: Kiersten Campise, Claire Connelly,Tessa Davis, Klaire Hillman, Allison Kampa, Annika Larsson, Angelica Martines, Danielle Saweh, Grace Turpin and Lilly Zanardo.

"It was fun. It took about two days," said Lilly, whose grandmother, Donna Parks, just joined Charity Knit & Crochet late last year.

Over the past eight years, Charity Knit & Crochet members have handmade more than 5,000 blankets, hats, scarves, baby items and more for donations to area churches, homeless and domestic violence shelters, schools, hospitals and other nonprofit organizations and causes. One of the group's longtime beneficiaries is Kids' Korner at the Lake County Courthouse. Founded in 1994, Kids' Korner is a children's waiting room for ages 2 through 12. The room provides a safe and fun environment for children who are in the courthouse to testify or whose parents or guardians are conducting court business.

Join us!

Ela Charity Knit & Crochet meets every Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Ela Township Community Center, 380 Surryse Rd., in Lake Zurich. Beginners and those with no experience are welcome to attend, as the other members are always happy to share their know-how. The group also happily accepts donations of yarn. For more information, call Susan Fackler at 847-540-8380 or visit www.elatownship.org/charity-knit-crochet.