By David Markham

Volunteering can take many forms, but for the dedicated members of the Caring Hands Knitting Group, it means making hundreds of free hats throughout the year to distribute to those in need.

Caring Hands is an ongoing program of the Johnson County Park and Recreation District’s 50 Plus Department which for many years has met weekly in Roeland Park. The knitters currently meet at Roeland Park City Hall while renovations continue at their usual meeting place in the Roeland Park Community Center.

Between 12 and 15 people are now enrolled in the program. At any given meeting, there are typically eight to ten knitters. All the current participants are women, but that hasn’t always been the case, and anyone is welcome to join in.

Over the past year, the group made and donated an estimated 1,520 hats for charity in the community. Some of the hats were given out throughout the year, but in late October, the knitters enlisted help from about a dozen Girl Scouts in second grade Troop 3936 and fifth grade Troop 2436 to sort and distribute about 1,000 hats in all sizes and colors from four giant tubs.

“Volunteering is so necessary, and there are so many different ways that you can volunteer,” said longtime knitter Maggie Hein of Leawood. “It’s kind of fun when you know you’re doing something good, so I hope you enjoy this and you’ll do it again.”

Fellow knitter Elaine Howell, also of Leawood, said she just started with the knitting group in February 2022 and has completed about 55 hats since then.

“I can usually get a hat done, depending on what else I’m doing, in about four to five hours, so it takes a little bit of time,” Howell said. “But as I’m sitting there doing it, I’m thinking ‘somebody this winter is going to have a warm head because I knitted a hat.’ That’s such a good warm feeling, which is what community service is all about.”

Knitting hats doesn’t just help recipients of the handmade headwear; it has benefits for the knitters themselves.

“One of the greatest benefits of participating is the social interaction,” Roeland Park Plus Coordinator Lisa Eagle explained. “We create a space, both at our in-person and virtual programs, to connect with our staff and other community members. Not only does being part of a social setting boost mental health, but the act of service and giving to charity can also help combat feelings of depression and solitude. Many knitters say they enjoy the sense of calm and productivity that comes with the pastime.”

Knowing how to knit is not a requirement for getting involved with the Caring Hands group. On average, one or two times per month newcomers who have never crocheted or knitted will come in, and group members will sit with them and teach them to make hats. Knitters will also help each other when they encounter knitting challenges.

Materials, including needles, are entirely provided through donations. This accounts for the wide variety of colors and types of yarn in the resulting hats.

The group tries to get the hats out when the weather starts turning cold. In past years, the task of distributing hats was coordinated by members who are no longer with the knitting group. This year’s intergenerational effort to deliver the hats came about when the Girl Scout groups requested use of a room at the Roeland Park Community Center.

“I emailed the scout leader and said ‘hey, I’ve got a service project idea – we’ve got a group of older adult volunteers who might make for a great and intergenerational opportunity,’” Eagle said.

“The Girl Scouts could hear from some of the women who have donated their time through the year. They could meet each other and then the girls could learn how service projects work by distributing the hats out to the community.”

“I wanted the girls to participate in the project because Girl Scouts is about participating in the community as well as learning new skills,” said Scout Leader Emily Dunn, whose daughter is in Troop 3936. “I hope to instill in them that new experiences are a part of life, and instead of being scared, we can learn and enjoy doing new things.”

There are several ways people can get involved with the Caring Hands Knitters. For those who are interested in making hats, the Caring Hands Knitting Group is a drop-in group which meets weekly from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesdays at the Roeland Park City Hall, 4600 W. 51st St.

For anyone who is homebound and wants to knit at home, JCPRD staff can provide them with yarn and materials, as well as patterns for knitting hats, and can arrange to pick up hats when they’re complete.

Participation is free and there’s no obligation to attend weekly. Preregistration is not required. The program listing is online. More information about the Caring Hand Knitting Group or for individuals or groups interested in receiving hats or donating yarn (any kind) or other knitting supplies is available by contacting Eagle at 913-826-3161.

Eagle told a story from a recent conversation which illustrates just how meaningful receiving the hats can be.

“I was chatting with a participant in a tai chi class we offer. She told me she volunteers twice a week at a local food pantry, and that some of the people who come to the pantry are living under bridges and in cars,” Eagle said.

“As we are talking, I told her about the knitting group and asked if she wanted hats to give out with the food – I happened to have a bag of 50 hats with me in my car that I gave her right away. She was so grateful, and we both felt our discussion was meant to be to make this exchange.”

David Markham is a communications specialist at the Johnson County Park and Recreation District.