Local women become part of ‘Pink Scarf Project,’ efforts toward cure

Date: 10/4/2011

Oct. 3, 2011

By Chris Maza

Reminder Assistant Editor

LONGMEADOW — As brisk October weather is sure to soon be sweeping the Pioneer Valley, those taking part in this year’s Rays of Hope Walk Toward the Cure can rest easy knowing they’ll have bran new scarves to keep them warm, thanks in part to members of the knitting club at Storrs Library.

As part of a region-wide annual Pink Scarf Project, the knitting club has spent the past several weeks making pink scarves that will be distributed to and worn by cancer survivors as they walk to raise money to support breast cancer research, education and treatment efforts.

The local Walk Toward the Cure is scheduled for Oct. 23, rain or shine, at Temple Beth El in Springfield. Registration begins at 9 a.m. The 8K Run Toward the Cure begins at 10:15 a.m., followed by the 2K walk, which will step off at 10:30 a.m.

“A friend of mine told me about scarves being knit for women who were walking and I thought that was a great idea,” Carole Mazzarino, who organizes the knitting club, said. “Then I read an article about how this is a really big movement. Hundreds of women wear these scarves and it was such a great project to get involved with.”

Mazzarino pitched the idea to the club, which meets every Wednesday at the library. The members, she said, were enthusiastic to start tackling the project.

“We always like to do a community project and since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, we thought it was very appropriate,” she said. “The response has been wonderful. They’re still making scarves, even if they already finished one.”

Mazzarino added that response from the community has been stellar as well.

“Every time I come in, the table is growing. Even people who are not part of the knitting group have gotten involved and every time I look, there are more scarves,” she said. “The knitting group got it going, and the rest is history, or ‘her story’ is more like it.”

The club is still accepting new scarves through Oct. 12 at noon, which can be placed on the table to the right as patrons walk in.

“The scarves will be leaving the library at noon, so it may be better to try to bring them in on Oct. 11 to make sure someone can wear yours,” Mazzarino said.

With the first year of the library club’s involvement being deemed a huge success, Mazzarino assured that the project will be an annual event.

“It’s local women helping local women and it’s great,” Mazzarino said. “I think the response was especially great because breast cancer is a subject that touches everybody’s heart. Everyone knows someone who has been affected.”