Lakeside ‘knitathon’ works to fight winter
Wool was the word of the day last Saturday.
About 60 volunteers worked together to knit and crochet blankets as part of the “67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day” knitathon.
Lakeside Mall hosted the event and sponsored everything, including the materials, advertising and refreshments.
The goal was to involve the community in knitting or crocheting blankets to be given to the less fortunate, especially with winter coming up.
While attracting much attention from passersby, the group also enjoyed socialising with each other and teaching younger participants the arts of knitting and crochet.
Between 9am and 2pm, more than 40 blankets were made or collected by the ”knit-wits”, as they call themselves.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation, represented by Nelson Mandela Day manager Yase Godlo, also supported the knitathon.
“This has been the most consistent volunteerism initiative tied to Nelson Mandela Day; this is the activism people talk about when they talk about Nelson Mandela Day,” said Godlo.
Participants were encouraged to make the blankets however they wanted, either knitted or crocheted.
Knitting is using two needles to make something from the wool, while crochet uses only one needle.
The knitters created baby blankets, single bed sized blankets or single, 20cm square blocks, which will be joined together to form larger blankets.
The goal is to make this a monthly event at Lakeside Mall, and the overall goal of ”67 Blankets” is to make or collect 21 000 homemade blankets by April 21, to be distributed before winter.
The blankets will be given to orphanages, the homeless and the poor, everyone who desperately needs warmth during winter, but doesn’t have the money to buy their own blankets.
The organisation aims to use volunteers and sponsored material exclusively, and no bought blankets will be accepted, as handmade blankets will show the recipients that they are cared for.
On April 21, the 21000 blankets which the group hopes to accrue will be spread across the lawn at the feet of the Nelson Mandela statue, at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, in celebration of Freedom Day on April 27.
The goal number is important, as every 1 000 blankets represent one year of South African democracy.
“Nelson Mandela took care of our future for us for a long time, but, when he started getting ill, he formally handed it over to us as a nation and we now have to take it forward,” said Elsabe Booyens, 67 Blankets’ ambassador to the East Rand.
“This is about taking it forward, to live by his principles, to show people that we are one nation, to build together, and to care for each other, because he deeply cared for everyone.
“This is to give others their basic human right to warmth and care, because we can’t expect our own human rights unless we are prepared to give them to others.”
Anyone can enter into the next knitathon at Lakeside Mall, by means of entering on the website, www.67blankets.com, or simply by pitching up with the willingness to join in and contribute toward helping others enjoy a warmer winter.
Carolyn Steyn, with several acting roles and two radio host jobs under her belt, is the founder and patron of 67 Blankets.
The foundation started in December 2013, with a challenge to Steyn to knit 67 blankets, but has now grown into an international movement with the goal to produce 21 000 hand-made blankets by April 21.
For more information, or to join in and make a blanket, visit the 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day web page, www.67blankets.co.za, email to info@67blankets.co.za, or contact the group on 0617 67 67 67.
