Community helps teen near 1,000 hats for homeless goal

Date: 11/16/2009

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



LONGMEADOW -- On Sept. 1, 14-year-old Corinne Fisher sent out a call for help. She was looking for fellow knitters and weavers to aid her in her mission to create 1,000 hats for the homeless.

Now, as the colder weather is settling into the region, she is a mere 60 hats away from her goal.

"I never thought I'd watch this change and grow so much," Corinne said. "I was surprised by how many people helped out. I didn't know who would help out."

Corinne learned to crochet about a year ago and started out creating items for friends and family. She took up the knitting habit last year when her family was displaced from their house by a fire. She knows what it's like to be displaced from a home.

"Corinne has made over 220 hats herself," Dawn Fisher, Corinne's mom, commented. "They're made of every color, every type of yarn, but they're all warm hats."

Dawn said she is hoping her daughter, who thought up the "1,000 Hats for the Homeless" project, reaches and exceeds her goal by the target date of Dec. 1. The hats have been collected over the past several months by Storrs Library in Longmeadow, the East Longmeadow Public Library and the senior centers in both towns. A Brownie Troop from Chicago has also contributed.

Once all the hats are collected, Corinne and her family will be donating them to the Bethlehem House in Easthampton and Holy Name Parish in Springfield, and possibly more charities.

Corinne's project has led to her teach knitting classes at Storrs Library at 693 Longmeadow St. and the East Forest Park Branch of the Springfield Public Library at 122 Island Pond Rd. She teaches youth to knit using yarn that was donated for the project.

"We didn't know this would be an ongoing thing at the beginning but Corinne will continue to help the homeless," Dawn explained. She sees the project growing from just hats to include the knitting of shirts, socks, scarves and mittens as well. "You can do a lot on a loom," she added.

As Corinne nears the end of her project she wonders what she'll do next. "It's weird to see it come to an end," she told Reminder Publications. "I'll have to find something else to do with my time," she jokingly added.

To donate hats or yarn, stop by the children's departments at the East Longmeadow or Longmeadow libraries, or either town's senior center.

For more information, e-mail Corinne at 1000hats4homeless@gmail.com.