In September, we surround ourselves with shade of purple yarn in memory of Cheryl Slater, the woman who left such a hole that the only thing to do after her death was to find a way to bring comfort to other who were sick and struggling with illness.

I have a new understanding of illness these days, as I'm battling Lyme Disease myself, learning firsthand what it is like to be so very tired and sick that it's challenging to get basic things like cooking and cleaning done. It's not easy to crochet when your finger joints hurt, and I haven't been able to do much, but I've been so glad to be surrounded by the group of volunteers we have. You're such good people!

At our September gathering, you donated 70 hats and 9 blankets -- gorgeous items, every one. Looking through our donation boxes is like browsing through the most artisanal Etsy page.

And looking ahead to our drive for Red, White and Blue in November -- We got a few items early.

We donated 69 hats, 2 shawls and 6 blankets to the Harbor Room at Cambridge Medical Center on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2014. It was our third donation to the cancer resource center that so helped Amy's mom, Cheryl Slater, as she battled cancer.

Read more about our past donations to the Harbor Room and their wonderful work here.

Not long ago, a woman walked into the Harbor Room and said, "We're going to a wedding and I don't know what to do." She didn't want to wear a scarf to a wedding. "We pulled out our hats. She knew she was wearing pink," recalled Lori Dimitry. They found the perfect hat for her and she was so excited. "It gave me goosebumps," said Dimitry.

Lori Dimitry is the new volunteer director at Cambridge Medical Center, and has been working in that position since February although she's been at CMC since 1979. In all, there are 136 people who volunteer at the Cambridge hospital and clinic. At the Harbor Room, they schedule people in four-hour shifts in the morning or afternoon. They're always looking for more volunteers.

She pointed out that this is a great time of year for us to donate two boxes of hats. As it gets colder, the Harbor Room gives away more. They don't limit the amount one person can take home, but instead give away as many as someone needs.

"You wouldn't believe how often people come in here and they are at their wit's end," Dimitry observed. They receive many requests for hats, scarves and wigs. "It's so much fun to give!"

The Harbor Room is currently revamping its support groups and adding in both an educational and fun component. Attendance was dwindling, so they decided to do something different, explained Dimitry. In October they invited a pharmacist to speak and then created healing bracelets. In November, a behavioral health specialist spoke about her own cancer journey and then participants made a photo cube box. In December, a representative from Sister Kenny will share exercises and everyone will leave with their own low-impact exercise band. "If they leave with something tangible, they are more likely to come," noted Dimitry. Plus, they want the group members to have fun. "No one thinks cancer is fun, but cancer can't be your whole life either," said Dimitry. "There's nothing fun about cancer, but you still need to live."

The Harbor Room also offers financial assistance for people. Recently, they helped pay for a garage door opener and a dryer for a woman battling cancer to make her life easier. Those who attend the monthly Beautiful You program leave with $80 worth in make-up.

Meet Harbor Room Volunteer Marge Johnson

Marge Johnson lost her sister two years ago. Her sister was just 50 years old. She had Stage 4 breast cancer. After a year to grieve, Johnson started volunteering at the Harbor Room. "I think its been real comforting both ways," she observed. Johnson is comforted while she helps others.

"So much talent and such loving hands passing these treasures to those that need," said Lori Dimitry.

Click here to view Facebook Post from CMC about Team Yarn. 

Team Yarn - Head Hugger members donate 77 hats to the Harbor Room cancer resource center at the Cambridge Medical Center. Left to right: Jenn Johnson, Joselyn Pettit, Aurora Pass, Amy Pass and Harbor Room Coordinator Bonnie Gutzkow-Bowman. (Photo by Tesha M.C. Pettit)

Team Yarn - Head Huggers returned to the Harbor Room at the Cambridge Medical Center in October 2013 to donate 77 hats and scarves.

Many of the items were purple, in honor of Cheryl Slater, a lifetime Isanti County resident who died one year ago after battling a rare and aggressive form of cancer. Slater’s favorite color was purple.

Team Yarn made its first donation to the Harbor Room in January 2013. According to Team Yarn co-founder Amy (Slater) Pass, she wanted to give back to the Harbor Room since it helped her mother, Cheryl, when she was going through cancer. Pass credits the Harbor Room for inspiring her to begin Team Yarn.

“The people that come in to the Harbor Room are kind of in despair and going through a rough time. When they get a fun hat, it totally changes their day,” said Bonnie Gutzkow-Bowman of the Harbor Room. “Thank you, Team Yarn, for making all these beautiful hats. It means a lot.”

McCULLY SISTERS INVOLVED
Cambridge-Isanti High School 2000 graduate Susie (McCully) Haen, now a resident of Renville, Minn., learned to crochet this past year and made several of the hats donated to the Harbor Room. Her mother, Kathy McCully of Cambridge, taught her how to single crochet and her sister, Kelli, McCully, taught her the double crochet stitch during her first Team Yarn meeting in August.

“So far I have just made a lot of beanie hats, trying to learn how the different crochet hooks and yarn affect the pattern,” remarked Haen.

“I saw Team Yarn's Facebook posts throughout the year, and was inspired by the good work (thoughtfulness/love and talent) of the group,” explained Haen.

She was drawn to the group because of the hometown connection. “I thought it would be a nice way to give back to the community and nice to come together while doing so,” she stated.

Her sister, Kelli McCully, a 1997 CIHS graduate who resides in St. Paul, has been involved in Team Yarn since it began in January 2013. When asked why she is a part of Team Yarn, McCully stated, “I wanted to help provide comfort to those involved in potentially painful treatments.”

McCully learned to crochet just so she could join the group. She noted that every time she makes something, she tries to imagine what it would be like to go through what those battling cancer are going through. She hopes “that this small gift can convey my support and care.”

SHAWLS AND LAPGHANS
Over the next few months, Team Yarn members will focus on fashioning shawls and lapghans. To mark the first anniversary of Team Yarn, the shawls and lapghans will be donated to Our Lady of Peace: Home, Health and Hospice in St. Paul in January 2014.

“After the death of a loved one, certain possessions become keepsakes for those left behind, things like handmade shawls and lapghans. We would like to bring some last comfort to those who are dying, and also to the family members as they grieve,” observed Team Yarn co-founder Tesha M. Christensen Pettit.

“We’d love to see more people join the team,” said Pass. “We can use all the help we can get.”

Items should be handmade, new, washable, and free of smoke and pet hair.

TEAM YARN MEET-UPS
Team Yarn holds monthly meet-ups on the third Sunday of every month from 1 to 3 p.m. at Silverwood Park in St. Anthony, Minn. Locally, you can drop off items at Century 21 - Moline Reality, 202 Main St. S. in Cambridge on Mondays to Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Or, mail donations to: Team Yarn, c/o Amy Pass, 2536 18th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55404.

Learn more about Team Yarn at teamyarn.blogspot.com, follow on Facebook, or email amyinthewind@gmail.com.

CLICK TO VIEW STORY IN THE ISANTI COUNTY NEWS:
http://isanticountynews.com/2013/12/04/team-yarn-donates-77-hats-scarves-harbor-room/

Click here to view a story the Isanti County News ran when we launched Team Yarn:
http://teamyarn.blogspot.com/2013/01/team-yarn-featured-in-isanti-county.html

Did you see the Isanti County News last week? Team Yarn was featured on page 5. Be sure to pick up a copy, or check out the online version here: http://isanticountynews.com/2013/12/04/team-yarn-donates-77-hats-scarves-harbor-room/

Click here to view a story the Isanti County News ran when we launched Team Yarn:
http://teamyarn.blogspot.com/2013/01/team-yarn-featured-in-isanti-county.html

Head Huggers returned to the Harbor Room at the Cambridge Medical Center in October 2013 to donate 77 hats and scarves. (Learn more about the Harbor Room here and here.)

Many of the items were purple, in honor of Cheryl Slater, a lifetime Isanti County resident who died one year ago after battling a rare and aggressive form of cancer. Slater’s favorite color was purple.

Team Yarn made its first donation to the Harbor Room in January 2013. According to Team Yarn co-founder Amy (Slater) Pass, she wanted to give back to the Harbor Room since it helped her mother, Cheryl, when she was going through cancer. Pass credits the Harbor Room for inspiring her to begin Team Yarn.

“The people that come in to the Harbor Room are kind of in despair and going through a rough time. When they get a fun hat, it totally changes their day,” said Bonnie Gutzkow-Bowman of the Harbor Room. “Thank you, Team Yarn, for making all these beautiful hats. It means a lot."

The Cambridge Volleyball Team is selling these lovely shirts to raise money for the Harbor Room.

This bike from the Outdoor Edge is being raffled off for the second time. Dr. Patton won it earlier this fall, but then turned around and donated it back to raise even more $ for the Harbor Room.

This basket of goodies goes around to people in for treatments to provide them with something fun to do.

Wondering what's in store for Team Yarn this fall? We took some time during the August 2013 meeting to decide where our donations will go for the next few months.

AUGUST 2013 -
Hats and other items to Amplatz Children's Hospital

Update: We contacted Amplatz about delivering hats in August, and this was their reply:

"Thanks for thinking of us again.  The children are LOVING the hats you provided from the previous donation!  Due to the season, we are currently giving them away at a slower rate and don’t have much storage at the moment.  But please keep us in mind in the future, as I know they will go quickly as the weather becomes cooler."
  

SEPTEMBER 2013 -
Hats and other items to Woodwinds Health Campus in Woodbury, Minn.

Update: We will be delivering hats at Woodwinds on 9/10/2013. This was the response from the email we sent to them inquiring about their need for hats:

"Thank you So Much for thinking of Woodwinds!  I enjoyed looking through your blog and Isanti News article.  You are a treasure!  Our cancer care department can Always use hats!  We often run short of prayer shawls too even though we had a group that meets the last Tuesday of the month 6-8pm in one of our conference rooms."

OCTOBER 2013 -
Hats and other items to Harbor Room, Cambridge Medical Center. We will be dropping off items AFTER the October meeting. So, items donated at the September and October meetings will go to the Harbor Room.

* As this month will mark the 1-year anniversary of the death of Amy's mom, Cheryl Slater, we thought it would be nice to return to the Harbor Room, a place that helped her so much during her cancer journey. I (Tesha) plan to make a few items this month in Cheryl's favorite color, purple, as well.

NOVEMBER 2013 -
Work on shawls and afghans

DECEMBER 2013 -
Work on shawls and afghans

JANUARY 2014 -
Donate shawls and lapghans to Our Lady of Peace: Home, Health and Hospice in St. Paul, MN

* After the death of a loved one, certain possessions become keepsakes for those left behind, things like handmade shawls and lapghans. We would like to bring some last comfort to those who are dying, and also to the family members as they grieve. Towards that end, we would like to focus on making shawls and lapghans this fall/early winter. We will donate them in January 2014 and mark the 1-year anniversary of Team Yarn. Will you join us in this endeavor?

Team Yarn was started in memory of Cheryl Slater.

Drop off hats, scarves, shawls and afghans for cancer patients

Want to donate to Team Yarn - Head Huggers in memory of lifelong Isanti County resident Cheryl Slater, but don’t have time to drive down to the Twin Cities?

Team Yarn organizers have made it easier for Isanti County residents to donate to their cause. A donation box has been added at the Century 21 - Moline Reality office at 202 Main St. S. in Cambridge. The office is open Mondays to Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you're planning to drop by on Saturday, please call 763-689-3593 to be sure the agent hasn't stepped out for a real estate showing.

"We believe in supporting community organizations, like Team Yarn and the Harbor Room, and are very excited to make our office available for these generous donations," said Carrie Gibbs of Century 21 Moline Realty. "Many of us have been affected by cancer and organizations such as these help families cope and find peace."

Feel free to drop by handmade hats, scarves, afghans, and shawls. Items should be handmade, new, washable, free of smoke and pet hair. Please bag your items together, and include your contact information in case Team Yarn has any questions.

All items will be distributed to hospitals and local organizations to support cancer patients here in Minnesota.

Team Yarn is a satellite group of Head Huggers, a national organization. It was started by former Isanti County residents Amy (Slater) Pass and Tesha M. Christensen Pettit after Amy’s mother, Cheryl Slater, passed away in October 2012.

Slater was diagnosed with Merkel Cell Carcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer, in December 2011. “She began chemotherapy in the winter of 2012, and we quickly learned that a head without hair grows cold very fast! Cheryl was blessed to receive handmade gifts of hats and scarves from family members and the cancer support center in her hospital to keep her warm,” noted Pass.

“Each gift was received with gratitude and was deeply appreciated. It's amazing how meaningful such a simple gift can be.”

Team Yarn made its first donation to the Harbor Room at the Cambridge Medical Center in January 2013. The February donation will go to the Richard M. Schulze Family American Cancer Society Hope Lodge in Minneapolis. In March, donations will be presented to the Children’s Hospital of St. Paul. Find patterns and more information on the group’s web site: http://teamyarn.blogspot.com.

For more information, email Amy Pass at amyinthewind@gmail.com.