Knitting for Cool Kids volunteer Julie Aspinall. Photo / Andrew Warner
Knitting for Cool Kids volunteer Julie Aspinall. Photo / Andrew Warner
When Miriam Ruberl was 6 years old a complete stranger gave her a green beanie.
It was the end of World War II and decades later the memory has never left her.
"There was turmoil and confusion. Someone who would never meet or get to know me made a little green beanie for a refugee kid and asked for nothing back. I don't have the beanie, but I do have the memory."
The experience is part of the reason she is giving back to needy kids.
Ruberl joined the Knitting for Cool Kids movement in Wellington 10 years ago and is now the Rotorua branch co-ordinator.
The group makes beanies, scarves, gloves and slippers for new entrant children in low decile schools.
They're on a mission to create at least 750 packs by next winter and need more volunteers and yarn to fulfil the hefty goal.
"In the first year we made 125 packs. This year we delivered 725 packs, and that's still only half the need of the district," Ruberl said.
"A lot of people tend to have a stash of yarn hiding in the back cupboard somewhere. They can donate it to us and we can distribute it to our knitters."
Ruberl said if people couldn't knit or crochet, there were still other ways to help.
"We have an account for any donations. And we always need a hand to help deliver the packs to the schools, or they can spread the word to friends and family."
The knitting group is made up of an eclectic bunch of men and women from all over New Zealand including locals.
Some members focus on making one kind of item while some do a combination. Others do complete sets.
Ruberl describes the process succinctly.
"It's like a potluck dinner. We collaborate to bring it all together and suddenly you've got a fantastic free gift, [children] get to keep."
Among the volunteers is Julie Aspinall, who joined after seeing her grandson Oliver come home from school with a beautiful set of winter woollies.
"He was so excited. And when I saw the knitting I thought 'oh I can do that, I can get involved'. I've been knitting for them for a couple of months now and I'm really enjoying it. It's relaxing and I feel like I'm achieving something."
Pupils at Decile 1, 2 and 3 schools around Rotorua are on the receiving end of the packs and Ngongotaha School principal, Craig McFadyen said distributing them was wonderful.
"I felt like Santa Claus. It was absolutely wonderful to be able to let the kids come up and choose. Lockdown and the impact of Covid-19 really disrupted and severed the connections between home and school.
"The winter woollies were a really nice way to build those back up again and say, 'hey we're all still part of this together'. The parents were just over the moon and really grateful ... To see [the children], heading home through the gate with the biggest smiles on their faces keeping warm, it's just wonderful."
McFadyen said if pupils were warm, they could learn.
"That is the bottom line for us, that they're in a position to be able to learn."
Rotorua Specialist School principal, Sherie Collins agreed.
"We cater to students with many challenges, both intellectually and physical. The impact of having warm scarves, hats, mittens and slippers has been invaluable and gratefully received by our whanau and students."
Sunset Primary School principal, Eden Chapman added it was lovely to be able to give the children something homemade, practical and attractive.
