Little hands in the Comox Valley will be a bit warmer, thanks to Jean Henderson.
The long-time knitter has just finished creating a pile - 50 pairs to be exact - of mitts for children who may need the outerwear for the winter season.
Henderson said she has been creating the mitts - which she began in November for donation - for about two or three years.
The Courtenay resident has been knitting for 87 years, and while creating mitts for a few years may seem relatively short in the span of her craft, Henderson has been knitting outfits for years - and donating them for those who need it most.
“I have knitted outfits for newborns who don’t have anything to wear at the hospital,” she explained. “My husband worked for BC Tel and they have a pioneer program (a network of current and former telecom employees and families who lead in volunteerism). Now with Telus, they supply the yarn, and I knit and I keep track of hours.”
Henderson continues to knit items through the program for the hospital, and for every hour she knits, she receives a donation of $1 for the charity of her choice through the company. This year, she raised about $100 for the Comox Valley Food Bank.
The 50 pairs of mitts were donated to the Comox Valley Transition Society as well as You Are Not Alone (YANA).