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Brotherly Love: Crocheting A Giving Social Network

BRISTOL, Pa. (CBS) -- You would expect a community center to bring people together. You might not expect them to give away so much! A club at a Bucks County community center makes it a mission to spread warmth, literally. We went to see how it's done.

This social network is tied together with yarn. Welcome to the crochet club of Lower Bucks Activity Center in Bristol. Every stitch is a gift for someone. It gives the people here an outlet for creativity, and that creativity turns into blankets for nursing homes, dolls for child fire victims, and more. Some are sold to raise money for the center, but many are given away.

"We started making hats for the newborns," said Betty Fletcher. "We took 'em over to Lower Bucks Hospital -- I forget how many."

We found Justin Jr. wearing one. The nurses at Lower Bucks hospital say the parents get a kick out of the donated handmade hats.

"The babies, as you know, lose most of their heat through their head, so this is a way of keeping them warm, and a decorative fashion statement, if you will," said Laura Tedesco, nurse manager of maternal child services at Lower Bucks Hospital.

Rose Marie Strippoli helped start this chain of charity.

"A lot of people don't understand these older women have a lot to share," Strippoli said.

"It is a real blessing to reach out and help others, because then it helps you," said Marguerite Bacon.

The crochet club is open to anyone who wants to help.

"If there are any men out there that would like to join us, they'd certainly be welcome. And look at all the pretty ladies we have!" Strippoli laughed.

Betty Fletcher laughed, "Makes me feel like I'm doing something, even though I'm getting old."

She's staying linked to the rest of the world a stitch at a time.

The crochet club meets every Wednesday at the Lower Bucks Activity Center in Bristol from 12:30 p.m. until 2:30 p.m.

For more info, contact them:

Lower Bucks Senior Activity Center
Wood & Mulberry Streets, Bristol, PA 19007
(215) 788-9238

Reported by Dave Huddleston, CBS 3


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