Phyllis Mosher (l.) receiving the
"Pace Setter Award".
Pat Wright is the presenter.

One pair of the over 17,000 pairs that Phyllis has knitted over the years. See her story for the details.

MITTENS  FOR  ME

This is the story of three little pair of mittens and how they grew. 

In December of 1984 the Pioneers of the Kennebec Life Member Club assisted the Maine Council in providing Christmas gifts for the Special Schools in their area.  Along with toys the club made and presented mittens and hats.  After the parties, there were three pair of mittens left and the Club took them to a teacher in the local public school and asked if she could use them.  The teacher quickly responded, "I cannot accept these mittens and give them to three children because I have so many more who are in need.  I cannot single out JUST three children".  After a few moments thought she added, "I can take them and each day loan them to a different child and, in that way, they can all have use of them."  At this point the Life Member Club quickly realized that these children were in dire need of warm mittens and that this need was evident throughout the schools in Maine.

In 1985 the Kennebec Life Member Club started the Mittens Project with 142 pair of mittens delivered to local schools, this effort has grown and expanded throughout Maine and in the year 2000 the Pioneers delivered 2,115 pair of mittens.  Over one hundred life members, partners and others donate yarn, knit, pack and deliver these mittens to all the school districts in their area during the fall and winter months.

The thousands of yards of yarn required are donated by Pioneer Chapter, Council  and Life Members, as well as people from all over Maine who hear about the project and want to help.  These dedicated people travel to rummage sales, yard and clearance sales, any place or store that is having a bargain on "yarn".  It is not unusual for Phyllis Mosher, Project Chairperson, to come home to packages of yarn left on her front porch with notes such as:  I don't knit, but I want to help - or  - thanks for the mittens you gave my children's classroom - or - simply - Thanks.

Several of the knitters are widows who found themselves alone with time on their hands after the death of their spouse.   One lady told the Pioneers that this was, to her, a life-saving project, it helped her adjust to living alone and she was helping children. Last December one of the Pioneers was delivering mittens to a junior high school in her area when one the the students stopped her.  He told her that he remembered the project from when he was in the first grade.  He was standing looking out the window at the other children playing in the snow, he had no mittens and it was too cold to go out without them.  You gave me a pair of mittens and I ran outside to play.  He told her that he still had the mittens, and, even thou they do not fit, he would never give them up and that he would never forget the Pioneers for their kindness. The project has been steadily growing in volunteers and number of mittens made since 1985. 

From January 2000 to February 2001 2,115 pair of mittens were made and delivered to the schools all over Maine.  The Pioneers have also made slippers, hats and lap robes when there was a need.  One of the senior citizens who knits for the Pioneers is confined to leg braces and a walker, she told us, and I quote, "Look at me, I can't stand up long enough to get a meal, I can no longer do my own housework, but, through the Pioneers, I feel that I have been given a chance to do God's work - I can help keep the children warm".

Since 1985,  with the help of this senior citizens and all the other Pioneer volunteers, the "Mittens for Me." Project has made and donated over 17,000 pair of mittens to keep the school children of Maine warm.