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Hats in solid hues and others in colorful stripes are being worn all over the archdiocese thanks to the efforts of the “Gladhatters,” a knitting group at Our Lady of Sorrows parish in White Plains.
Nearly 3,000 people in need are being kept warmer with the wool hats made by the Gladhatters.
“We are doing these to help people with our talents and our time. Especially this winter, which has been so cold,” said Sister Laura Morgan, F.M.S.C., founder of the Gladhatters.
The group, started in 2011 with just six women, now has about 20 members. The club’s inspiration came from a simple ball of yarn.
“I’m a knitter and I was home one day, and I had all these extra balls of wool, and I thought, ‘What am I going to do with these?’” Sister Laura said.
She spoke to Father Philip Quealy, pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows, who thought the knitting club was a good idea.
The Gladhatters meet in the church’s community room on Thursday mornings.
The group is open to parishioners as well as anyone else who is interested. In addition to providing for others, the knitters also look out for one another.
“It’s a real support group for some of the ladies who live alone. It serves a need but it is also very social,” said Sister Laura, a pastoral assistant at Our Lady of Sorrows who spends much of her time visiting the homebound of the parish.
Sister Laura said those who cannot attend the meetings send in donations for wool, and some even create hats themselves to participate in the group.
Hats have been given to Calvary Hospital in the Bronx, Open Arms Shelter in White Plains, The Lord’s Pantry in White Plains, as well as homeless shelters and soup kitchens.
Laura Amadio, a club member for two years, called the Gladhatters “a wonderful group,” adding with a laugh that some members are better at hat-making than she is.
“They don’t always turn out perfect, but it gives me a good feeling,” she said with a joyful lilt in her voice. “I know it’s for people who need this; they need a nice warm hat.”
Another member, Ann Marie Dougherty, told CNY, “It’s been such a cold winter, so it’s nice to know if someone needs a new hat, they can get their meal at the soup kitchen and a new hat. It makes me feel really good.”
She explained that each hat is unique and special with different colors and wool used by the women.
“Everybody can feel like it was personally made for them,” she said.
