Students at two Guelph elementary Catholic schools are helping community members in need through a collaborative knitting program.
The program, created by two social justice clubs at Holy Trinity and St. John, involves students knitting clothing items, such as baby hats and scarves, for local organizations, including Royal City Mission and Guelph General Hospital.
Lisa Gibson, a Grade 8 teacher at Holy Trinity and co-organizer, said students have knitted around 150 items so far. Gibson said they haven’t set a total goal, but they hope to continue knitting items after donating them next month.
“The kids can’t stop asking ‘Are we going to have another knit night?’” Gibson said.
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She said the students will use any time that’s available to make the clothing, including recess and class breaks and when there’s no schoolwork.
The project initially began as a sock donation program at St. John in 2021 with the help of co-organizer Alijha Girgis-Tweedle.
When Gibson moved from St. John Catholic School and started working at Holy Trinity, she stayed in contact with Girgis-Tweedle. Both administrators have been extremely supportive of the initiative. The schools are approximately two kilometers from each other and Gibson takes her social justice club to the library at St. John Catholic School to brainstorm ideas.
She said it’s been “a beautiful collaboration.”
The program has also inspired participation from staff, parents and even grandparents.
The organizers are happy to see what the students have learned.
“The fact that we could provide just a little bit of direction, and these students have taken off,” Gibson said. “And now they’re teaching us the things that they’re coming up with and we’re getting them to go around and teach others.”
The items will be donated to the Royal City Mission and Guelph General Hospital’s NIC Unit in February.
Gibson said they hope to have another Knit Night with the students this spring.
“Our hearts are full. We’re so happy that people are getting on board, and we are happy that we can serve people that might need it,” she said.
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