Scarf Project marks fifth year
New scarves are made or purchased by many individuals and donated to the Scarf Project. Hats, headbands, gloves and mittens also are donated.
Five years ago the Scarf Project began when Toni Kaltenbaugh saw a video posted on Facebook of people placing scarves in a park to be shared for free with those who needed a little warmth. She shared the video and said, “Isn’t this a great idea? Who wants to help?”
The new scarves are made or purchased by many individuals and donated to the Scarf Project. Hats, headbands, gloves and mittens also are donated. They can be made from yarn or any warm fabric. Yarn also has been donated and given to those needing it to create items for the Scarf Project.
The goal of the Scarf Project is to provide assistance for individuals who could really use a little help but don’t want to ask. However, it has accomplished a lot more. It has provided purpose for several individuals.
There are a couple of groups in area nursing homes who crochet scarves from donated yarn. A 92-year-old housebound lady in Uhrichsville has crocheted 255 (and counting) scarves for this year’s Scarf Day. A gentleman in his late 80s has made 125 (and counting) scarves for this year. New friendships have been formed by those assisting with the Scarf Project.
Scarves and yarn have been donated over the past five years, sometimes anonymously. The first year 123 scarves were collected and hung on the fence beside Rite Aid at the corner of West High Avenue and Tuscarawas Avenue Northwest. This year the project has locally received approximately 1,000 scarves. Scarves also were received for distribution in Alliance and Cambridge. They all will be distributed Nov. 13 (rain date is Nov. 14). There are no qualifications needed to obtain a scarf. They will be hung at various locations so they can be acquired anonymously.
The locations are as follows:
—Alliance, Family Dollar/SARTA, corner of Main and Union.
—Cambridge, Rite Aid, 1045 Wheeling Ave.
—Cleveland, Magnolia Clubhouse, 1101 Magnolia Drive.
—Dover, St. John’s United Church of Christ, 409 Wooster Ave.
—Dover, Medical Suites, 400 Park Drive (behind Cleveland Clinic, Union Hospital).
—Midvale, intersection of State Street and Barnhill Road Southeast.
—Mineral City, Nicole Donant Library, 8503 High St.
—Newcomerstown Middle School, 325 W. State St.
—New Philadelphia Rite Aid, corner of West High and Tuscarawas Avenue Northeast.
—New Philadelphia, Starlight Enterprises Inc., 246 E. High Ave.
—New Philadelphia, Tuscarawas County Library, 121 Fair Ave. NW.
—Port Washington, 1873 Victorian Rose Bed & Breakfast, 206 W. Main St.
—Roswell City Park, across from Marathon Mfg.
—Strasburg Village Market, 102 N. Wooster Ave.
—Uhrichsville, the gazebo at the Panhandle Passage Park Trailhead, southeast corner of North Fourth Street and Grant Street.
Scarves are never carried over from year to year. Any scarf not collected at the specific locations will be shared with those in need some other way. Donations of yarn and scarves can be left on the back porch of 730 Tuscarawas Ave. NW in New Philadelphia, the front porch of 114 Washington St. in Uhrichsville, the porch at 920 Beatty Ave. in Cambridge or the porch at 225 Linwood Drive (by Silver Park) in Alliance.
For questions call Kaltenbaugh at 330-432-1930.