Celebrate charity knitting heros

Debbie Posmontier and the girls of Springside School, Philadelphia

"We will sit in the sunshine in the meadow behind the school, a lovely place to knit for the less fortunate children on another continent”

Debbie tutors girls in grade 2-6, aged between 7 and 11. She wrote to me in early March 09:

"I am so excited to be knitting and felting squares for your project. I tutor in the lower school at an all girls school in Philadelphia called Springside School. We are planning a Square Circle of 8, 9, and 10 year olds who are already knitting or are interested in learning. I have contacted our local yarn shop, The Tangled Web, and they have put you and us in their newsletter and have asked for donations of "yarn stash wool" for our school. I also received a donation of yarn from another local shop, Sticher's Dream, and an artist donated needles, as well.

You can see the excitement about the project in the eyes of the girls who already knit. As we are coming into spring here, we have plans to knit at recess time while we sit in the sunshine in the meadow behind the school. It is a lovely place to knit for the less fortunate children on another continent."

Later she sent me this photograph of the meadow the girls will knit in during spring and on March 18 2009, these wonderful photographs of the children learning how to knit and the squares they have knitted.

Debbie not only grasped the great need of the AIDS orphans of South Africa but has imparted to her children the gift of giving.

We know that for this knitting project to be sustainable, we must garner the energy and compassion of school children to fulfil this vast undertaking of supplying blankets and warm clothing to the many millions of children in great need in Southern Africa.

They, in turn, will be empowered knowing they are making a difference and learning the importance of giving at the same time.

We are really grateful to Debbie and her wonderful students for having pioneered the schools-based side of this knitting project.

Please also join Square Circle for more stories of our heroes and their efforts to help keep the children warm.