Point Clark woman crochets items for people in need
March 25, 2017
Helga Cairns enjoys crocheting beautiful items to give to those in need.
This Point Clark resident’s hands are never idle as she makes a variety of warm and woolly articles to donate to people in the area. She can complete a lap blanket in just a few days to the benefit of seniors in nursing homes in Kincardine, Tiverton and Lucknow, as well as for other individuals who come to her attention.
Cairns also makes hats and scarves for cancer patients and newborns. Her work is often very colourful, using scraps gathered from larger projects and donations from friends, to create cheerful patterns.
Born in Austria, she came to Canada with her parents in 1953. In 1986, she found herself widowed and alone, living in London. She began volunteering at the Parkwood Institute and discovered that many older or unwell people simply needed a sympathetic ear and some companionship.
Taught to crochet by her mother, Cairns recalls a family tradition of generosity. She, too, decided to use her handiwork skills to give comfort to people in her community. Remarried, her husband assists by winding balls of yarn, and tucking in the ends on finished pieces.
Cairns has no idea how many blankets she has crocheted and donated, and although she has resided in Point Clark since 2001, she continues to send blankets to nursing homes in London. She also volunteers weekly at RVilla Retirement Living in Ripley.
She is a regular participant in the craft group which meets at the Point Clark Community Centre the second and fourth Thursdays of each month. This week, she demonstrated her signature pattern to the ladies and gave some crochet lessons.
Her industriousness and generosity of spirit are an inspiration to all who know her.
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