Crocheting hope
It isn’t difficult in the Concordia Haven Retirement Apartments to stumble on a resident involved in some form of community service or charity work. Resident Elizabeth Spohn said many of her neighbors use their time to volunteer around the apartments or outside of them.
For Spohn, going on 81 years old, her method of giving back is through crocheting and donating prayer blankets and shawls.
“They go to someone that will appreciate them. You know, someone that might not have a chance to know somebody that would make an item like that,” Spohn said.
Finding ways to give back to the community, Spohn said, helps many residents avoid feelings of isolation and loneliness. While she primarily donates blankets through her church’s Prayer Blanket Ministry, she has collected for other groups over the years.
“It’s always a blessing to give,” Spohn said. “In addition, you do feel like you are still part of the community.”
Spohn has been crocheting since she was 20 years old. She began donating prayer blankets about five years ago. In her down time, she sets up her iPad, turns on a film and works on her most recent creation. Currently, she rotates through prayer blankets that go to hospice care, prayer shawls and baptismal blankets.
“Well, it definitely keeps the arthritis moving, and then I find it very relaxing,” Spohn said.
Her decision to start crocheting pieces to donate came from her heart and desire to cheer people up. Spohn said she’s always wanted to share her projects and decided it was “just the right thing to do.”
“You have your gift and no matter how old you get, you want to share it,” Spohn said.
Crocheting is something she’s done throughout the years for family, as there’s nothing quite as meaningful as a handmade gift. In the past, she’s handmade Afghans for her children and their children before they all turned 10, a tradition she plans to continue.
“I have great grandkids, but they’re not 10 yet, so that will be my next project,” said Spohn.
Recently, Spohn helped with the Comfort Blanket Mission alongside other Haven apartment residents and Highpointe at Rebecca. Together, they made over 40 blankets of all different fabrics for hospice patients. Of the 40, Spohn crocheted about 17.
“Well, it’s because I enjoy the crocheting and, well, I don’t like to be idle, and it is a way to help the community,” she said.
Though crochet work is her specialty, she and other residents regularly participate in clothing drives and meal packing events for local churches and nonprofits. They recently helped at St. Luke Lutheran Church packing nutritious, easy to prepare food for struggling groups in other countries.
“Which they said was very good for them, because it was very nutritious and easy to put together,” she said.
Many around the Haven apartments also pick up responsibilities around the units. Whether that be arranging birthday celebrations for their neighbors or collecting recycling, they try to help each other out.
“You choose what you want to do, how much you want to do, or not, or what you’re able to do between doctor’s appointments, and all that,” said Spohn.
Spohn is also a co-chairman for the Concordia library in Haven 1, with her co-chairman Geraldin Farbacher. Together, the two organize donations of duplicate books to the Saxonburg Library. Others around the units take turns manning the return station to ensure each returned book is put back.
“That’s part of a community outreach, and nothing’s wasted that way, somebody’s going to be utilizing the books,” Spohn said.
