Marco Island Woman’s Club Stitch Makers donate blankets to Golisano Children’s Hospital

Submitted

Marco Island Woman’s Club Stitch Makers Aren Alter, Roz Sorber, Catherine Thomas and Donna O’Shea folded and tied bows on the 121 blankets made by club members over the summer.

On Nov. 18 Anne Marchetti and Sharyn Kampmeyer of the Marco Island Woman’s Club delivered 81 knitted and crocheted blankets and 40 quilts to Stacie Kmetz, Child Life Specialist at Golisano Children’s Hospital in Fort Myers.

The blankets are distributed to patients in the hospital’s Pediatric Critical Care Unit. According to Ms. Kmetz, “the Marco Island Stitch Makers are well-known in the Unit for their ‘handmade with love’ blankets, tied up with pretty ribbons. She said that the blankets bring smiles to the pediatric recipients and appreciation from their parents.

Sherry Yeun and Stacie Kmetz, Golisano Children’s Hospital accepting the donated blankets from Anne Marchetti, Marco Island Woman’s Club Stitch Maker chairperson.

The Stitch Makers are a group of 26 Club members that knit and crochet year-round on their own and meet once a month as a group. In addition to the blankets for the pediatric patients, the group makes hats for Manatee Elementary School students and their families.

Over the past four and a half years, the Stitch Makers have donated 572 blankets and 441 hats to the two groups. The blanket donations always include a number of quilts made by ninety-one year old Club member Marie Senechal.

For more information about the Woman’s Club, visit marcowomansclub.com or email MIWCEL@gmail.com.