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OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, March 25, 2009 · 12 Living Oakville Beaver LIVING EDITOR: ANGELA BLACKBURN Phone: 905-337-5560 Fax: 905-337-5571 e-mail: ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com Knitting to give By Tanya Kostiw SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER omen at Queen's Avenue Retirement Residence are putting their years of knitting experience to good use. They have knitted hats, mitts, scarves and blankets for the United Way, which will distribute the items to those in need. "There are so many people that need so much and we have so much. We have to give," says Lise Fournier. "It was given to us. Now it's our turn, at our age, to give." Fournier created a blue toque and mitts. She says knitting keeps her busy. She lowers her voice and says, "(It) keeps me out of trouble," then she chuckles. Residence activities co-ordinator Dan Beaman says the knitting club is a good way for the women to socialize while doing something for the community. "This is good while we can still communicate," laughs Esmée Goldie. She says the charity aspect gives her an incentive to knit. Goldie's mother taught her W how to knit back in England, but it wasn't until she immigrated to Canada in the 1970s that she learned how to crotchet. She enrolled in a beginner's crotchet class only to learn that she was the only student without experience. But she made a top that she still wears to this day. Norma Irmhoff says the main difference between crotchet and knitting is the number of needles involved. She finds it easier to knit with her arthritis because two needles are used, while only one needle is used to crotchet. "I've been knitting for too many years," she says. Irmhoff has made baby blankets for all her children and grandchildren. "It's a good pastime," says Laurence Baldoni. "It's going to help somebody else." She made an afghan in several weeks, but noted knitting a toque and mittens only takes a couple of days. Just three weeks into the project, the group of 10 women had already created about 20 sets of hats, mitts and scarves, said LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER RETIREMENT BUSINESS: Members of the Queen's Avenue Retirement Residence's knitting club are doing their part for local charity. Here, Mildred Redfern concentrates on her task as does Gwen Gray, seen in the background. Beaman. He says the women hope to turn Queen's Avenue into a drop centre for the community, where people can leave their knitted work for the United Way to pick up. "We're very excited to be taking their great mending projects and distributing them to families that need them," says Erin McAllister, the United Way's manager of granting and community relations. Beaman says they are also teaming up with youth groups who will come knit with the Queen's Avenue club. Those interested can drop their knitting off at the retirement residence, which is located at 1056 Queen's Ave. Looking ahead NEW IN TOWN: Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn stopped by the Halton Women's Centre Thursday as the centre prepares to launch a new peer counselling program for immigrant women this September. Centre officials gathered to celebrate the grant it received from the Ontario Trillium Foundation in 2008, which is enabling the offering of the new program. On hand were, from left, Flynn, Sobia Hussain, Sharon McBride of the Metis Nation Of Ontario and Ontario Trillium Foundation Grant Review Team, Melvina Walter, executive director of The Women's Centre and Donna Reid, chair of the centre's board. The centre is in Hopedale Mall, 1515 Rebecca St., Suite 229. For more information about the centre or the new program, call 905-847-9104 or visit www.haltonwomenscentre.org. LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER Grab that dessert Shrug off the cold on Thursday, March 26 for The Arthritis Society's fifth annual More Than Just Desserts event. Taste delicious desserts and hors d'oeuvres while enjoying the latest spring fashions at Le Dome Banquet Centre located at 1173 North Service Rd. E. The event is at 7 p.m. and is sponsored by Sunrise Senior Living. The girls night out will feature spring fashions by Simply Gorgeous, desserts and hors d'oeuvres, a silent auction, health and beauty presentations, vendors and more. Tickets for More Than Just Desserts cost $40 each or $280 for a table of eight and can be purchased online at www.arthritis.ca/onevents. Proceeds from the event will support The Arthritis Society in its mission to search for the underlying causes and cures for arthritis and to promote the best possible care and treatment for the 4.5 million Canadians, 1.8 million of whom are in Ontario, living with the disabling disease. For more information about More Than Just Desserts, or to purchase tickets, contact Lorna Catrambone of The Arthritis Society of Halton Peel Region at 905-455-6273, ext. 221 or e-mail at lcatrambone@on.arthritis.ca.