from MKG Cable Gram, Volume 24, Number 1

Remember that cold Sunday when the temperature did not get up to zero and the windchill was minus 35? That day, Michele Germanson, Paula Knutzen, and I attended the Annual Volunteer Recognition Tea at the Children's Home Society and Family Services. Entertainment was provided by the Roseville Community Band Brass Ensemble and Woodwind Quintet.

Special recognition was given to the Minnesota Knitters' Guild and longtime member Shirley Unger for our support of the Little Red Stocking Program. What we have done is supply yarn to volunteer knitters who knit or crochet hats and mittens to give to children during the holiday season. In this, the 98th year of the Little Red Stocking program, 1,200 children received stockings.

I'd like to share the thank-you note I received from the Children's Home Society following our most recent donation of yarn:

Dear Yvonne and the Minnesota Knitters' Guild,

Thank you so much for your generous donation of 69 skeins of yarn for our Annual Volunteer Appreciation Tea. Year after year, the Minnesota Knitters' Guild is always there to support our agency. We are sincerely grateful for this kind of support and look forward to each of your visits here at Children's Home Society & Family Services. Thanks again for helping us carry out our mission of helping children thrive, and build, strengthen and sustain individual, family and community life.
Sincerely,
Nikki Emiliusen

At the tea, the Cozy Community Project was introduced. This project expands the Little Red Stocking Program to provide handmade items to children in need throughout the year, not just around Christmastime.

The Cozy Community Project will accept the following:

• blankets that are tightly knitted or crocheted and are a minimum of 36 by 36 inches;
• tightly made boys' and girls' sweaters, ages 0 to 18 months; and
• tightly knitted or crocheted hats and mittens for boys and girls, ages 0 to 16.

The need is greatest for boys and girls, from birth to age 4, solid colors preferred. For safety reasons, the Children's Home Society will not accept mittens connected with strings. All donations should be new (with pins removed), smoke-free, washable, and made with non-irritating fibers.