BERLIN — Coos County Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), Tri-County Community Action Program, Inc. is happy to announce its twenty-third year of providing mittens, hats, slippers, blankets that are lovingly created by volunteer knitters for the Annual Coos County Family Health Services Mitten Tree.
Children in need may select mittens from a “Mitten Tree,” a Christmas tree decorated with mittens in different colors and sizes at the CCFHS 54 Willow Street Office in Berlin. Mittens will also be available at the 133 Pleasant Street Clinic.
“The RSVP Home Knitters not only keep our kids snug and warm, their actions send a message to everyone that we live in a caring and supportive community where people care for one another, said Ken Gordon, CCFHS chief executive officer.
In addition homemade and donated items are given to clients of the CCFHS Response to Sexual and Domestic Violence Program and new babies born to the Family Health Prenatal Program.
RSVP Knitters, who are age 55 and over, make mittens and many other handmade items in their homes using donated yarn and materials. RSVP volunteers coordinate the program with the RSVP staff in the Berlin area. Connie Ouellette, RSVP volunteer, tends to the Pittsburg area. These coordinators keep the knitters stocked with donated yarn; they pick up completed items, and store items for distribution when cold weather strikes the North County. There are currently 32 knitters in Coos County volunteering for the RSVP Home Knitters Program.
RSVP will be happy to accept donations of yarn and materials that our volunteers will put to good use and donate the products to local communities in need.
RSVP, a Tri-County Community Action Program continues its valuable role, providing meaningful opportunities for retired people and seniors in Coos County, while also serving local nonprofits with valuable volunteer resources. In the last year, approximately 350 RSVP volunteers provided over 50,000 hours of volunteer time to 60 nonprofits, doing everything from breaking trails to staffing blood drives, to teaching English as a Second Language. Anyone age 55 and over, who is interested in volunteer opportunities in Coos County, may call Amanda Cassidy, RSVP Program Coordinator or Nancy Malone, RSVP Program Director at (603) 752-4103.
