A Tight-Knit Community

Every Stitch Part of a Heartfelt Donation

By Dan Pearlman

Glenda Neely was driving home from work when she saw him.

The man was in the area of Morse Road and I-71 wearing a hat – not just any hat – but one that her mother had knitted before her death in 1995. That was when Neely, a Gahanna resident, knew her mother’s work should continue.

Neely’s mother was diagnosed with viral cardiomyopathy in 1990. Shortly thereafter, she and her sister arranged for their mother to receive knitting lessons, which led to her making scarves and hats that she donated to Worthington United Methodist Church.

Glenda Neely, head of The Knitting/Crocheting Ministry of St. Matthew's Church

After seeing that man on the northside of Columbus, Neely was moved to continue her mother’s work by crocheting scarves and donating them to St. Matthew the Apostle Catholic Parish for the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Since then, The Knitting/Crocheting Ministry of St. Matthew’s Church has grown exponentially.

“It warms my heart to do what I can to help people in need,” Neely said.

Over the years, volunteers have donated yarn, knitting and crocheting materials, and money that has been used to buy needed materials. Now, more than 120 crafters across eight states put their passion into every stitch, making hats, scarves and other items that are ultimately donated to organizations and distributed throughout central Ohio.

“This network of crafters is so important and rare to see,” said Denise Maksimoski, Neely’s ‘right hand’ in the group. “When someone needs prayer or someone to talk to, this community of volunteers and knitters is ready to help and jump in.”

Volunteers for the Knitting/Crocheting Ministry of St. Matthew's Church during a meeting

The network is made up of crafters from schools, retirement communities, other churches and individuals looking to contribute on their own – a tight-knit community that has made and donated 234,563 items to organizations throughout Ohio since Neely’s mother passed away.

“We can never have too many items,” said Neely. “People ask me, ‘Don’t you have enough? Don’t you have too many?’ I just tell them that there’s never too many.”

The power of The Knitting/Crocheting Ministry of St. Matthew’s Church is certainly showing no signs of slowing. Neely receives donations, for example, every six weeks from a woman in Colorado who learned about the ministry online. A group of crafters at St. Pius X Church in Reynoldsburg meets twice a month to contribute. In addition, Neely teaches 8th graders at St. Matthew’s School how to knit and crochet. Many of them go on to continue crafting and donating their finished items.

“When someone needs prayer or someone to talk to, this community...is ready to help and jump in.”

“I love hearing the stories of the items we donate and seeing a great group of people come together to help others,” Neely said.

Yarn, fabric and monetary donations can be dropped off at Saint Matthew the Apostle Church at 807 Havens Corners Road. According to Neely, no donation of yarn or fleece is too small, as the ministry uses as much as possible and donates any leftover materials to be used as stuffing for dog beds and quilts. All financial donations are used to buy yarn. For more information on the ministry and how to get involved, please visit KnittingCrochetingMinistry.jimdofree.com

Spinning a new yarn ball