Ada Snaidero, Nada Staffania and Evelyn Garzoli of the Natty Knitters. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
For the past 15 years, a dedicated group of Griffith grandmas has been making blankets for those impacted by global disasters — from bomb-hit villages near Baghdad to flood-ravaged communities in Ballina.
The Griffith Natty Knitters have been spinning yarns together at Griffith City Library every Saturday since 2007. The knitters started as a group of friends making garments and toys for local events, but before long they joined a national charity movement helping those struggling to cope with extreme cold all over the planet.
“My son calls us the ‘nutty knitters’,” joked Ada Snaidero, “but we do a lot of good work.”
Longtime member Aileen Reginato, 85, says her Griffith group are part of the not-for-profit charity Wrap with Love Inc, which collects squares from knitting groups all over Australia to send as wraps to those in need. The latest shipment is a batch of 4000 wraps which are destined for the war-ravaged Middle Eastern country of Syria ahead of the Northern Hemisphere winter. The blankets will supply refugee camps to keep families warm.
Aileen Reginato loves the fact her knitting is put to good use. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
“Sometimes we see a woman in a wheelchair covered by a blanket on TV and we think, ‘Our groups have made that’,” Ms Reginato said.
“But we don’t just help those in other countries. We also work with a number of local groups.
“We have knitted an entire garden that went on display at Pioneer Park, including plants, flowers and a dog kennel. And we make toys for the ambulances, who give them to children impacted by trauma.”
According to matriarch Evelyn Garzoli, the Natty Knitters group provides the perfect balance of supporting others and themselves at the same time.
“We are all growing old together … it keeps us sane and we help people too,” Ms Garzoli said.
For Ada Snaidero, it’s a way to keep in touch when you’re not digitally connected.
“It’s the only way you get to talk to anyone these days,” Ms Snaidero said. “Most of us aren’t on the internet. Everything is on Facebook and if you’re not on it you really miss out. I don’t know what happens in the news until Saturday, when I join with this group and we all talk.”
Margaret Taylor models teddy bears. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
The Natty Knitters first rose to prominence in 2010, when they were approached by Griffith City Library staff and asked if they would host ‘World Wide Knit in Public Day’, which was covered extensively in the media. Soon after, they received a government grant to make a full-size knitted garden.
“That was a lot of fun, people love it and we got so much attention,” Ms Garzoli said. “We are going to keep going for as long as we can.”
Anyone interested in joining the Natty Knitters can visit them at Griffith City Library on a Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm.
Loading ...
