You can hear the chatter as soon as you enter the St Bernard’s Catholic Church and, as you near the meeting rooms, the faint “clickety-clack” of needles can be heard.
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One Wednesday each fortnight, up to 12 women – and one self-declared male “supervisor” – gather in the church’s meeting room to bring warmth to those less fortunate and in the process are warming up each other’s lives.
It is all part of Wrap with Love, a charitable initiative that has provided wraps hand-knitted by hoards of volunteers around Australia since 1992.
The volunteers collectively knit squares, which are assembled into blankets and sent to people in more than 75 countries.
In 20 years, Wrap with Love has distributed more than 323,000 wraps to people in need, and the Eurobodalla area has certainly contributed its share.
Jenny Rzepa, of Wrap with Love’s Batemans Bay group, said last year alone, 419 wraps were knitted for the program.
She said the group was on track to do 380 to 400-plus wraps this year, but “you never know”.
“It could be a quiet month and then all of a sudden a whole lot (of squares and wraps) will come in, especially around August - that’s knitting time,” she said.
“We get an influx.”
Wrap with Love knitters and crocheters live from Batemans Bay to Cobargo.
A small group meets at the Church, while others, often without recognition, knit alone.
Squares are collected in late winter at libraries, while others drop off donations of yarn, squares and completed wraps.
Ms Rzepa said the fortnightly gathering brought volunteers together to create and share morning tea.
“It’s an outing, a social gathering, people like to exchange ideas and get ideas for how to knit or crochet or put them together,” she said.
“It’s a pleasant thing to do in the middle of winter, especially sewing them together – the wrap grows over your lap.”
Ms Rzepa praised the many contributors.
“Often people don’t put their name on it,” she said.
“I just wanted to acknowledge the support that’s being given and also to invite newcomers.
“A lady in Cobargo, every few months she will send up nine or ten wraps that she and her friends have created.”
Aid agencies distribute them to people affected by poverty and natural disasters, including the Fukishima nuclear disaster and Australian bushfire victims.
Ms Rzepa said she distributed some locally, at her own discretion.
“There’s been some really moving stories of homeless people receiving them,” she said.
“I know some of ours went to Chile.
“They go to orphanages around the world.
“It all started off going to Africa.”
One lot went to imprisoned ladies in Papua New Guinea.
“Before that they didn’t even have a bed, they just slept on a plank on the floor,” Ms Rzepa said.
“They received the wraps and they were really thankful, because it can get quite cold there in July.
“After it got a bit of attention, beds were built for them.”
For more information about Wrap with Love or to be involved, phone Ms Rzepa on 0414 664 077 or visit www.artsandcraftsnsw.com.au/Wrap.htm
Break out needles in August - page 13
