In the midst of the coldest season, the warmest event took place. Yesterday (January 5) morning, the 8th Red Cherry "Winter Knitting for Charity" Knitting Voluntary Service Activity was held in Chongqing Andover Ocean Park, where more than 30 volunteers knit for children in poverty-stricken mountainous areas.
Volunteers knitted scarves and gloves.
On the morning of January 5, over 30 volunteers gathered in the Chongqing Andover Ocean Park and knit scarves, gloves, and hats, whereby they expressed their care for children in poor mountainous areas.
The Home Andover Volunteer Branch of the Red Cherry Volunteer Association includes students, workers in various industries, and stay-at-home moms. The on-site volunteers carefully knit with woolen yarn and occasionally communicated with each other. In less than an hour, they basically finished a scarf, a hat, or a glove.
Volunteers knitted scarves and gloves.
"I hope what we knit can protect the children in poor mountainous areas against the severe cold." The 33-year-old Li Xin is one of the volunteers. She was knitting a scarf with red wool she had selected carefully, hoping the children would like it. "A scarf like this can be made in about half a day." A volunteer said that they spend their time after work and not caring for their children knitting. They are all highly motivated and hope to finish it as soon as possible. "We all hope to do our best to help children in poor mountainous areas."
Among the volunteers, a man knitting a sweater caught the attention of the reporter. He is a young teacher called Chen Dingqiang. He told the reporter that it is not the first time he has participated in this activity. "I had taken part in this activity for a few times before, but because I am a man, I had always done logistic work, like purchasing and carrying wool," Chen said that this winter is particularly chill, so he decided to join the knitting team and knit scarves for children in mountainous areas. Although he didn't know how to knit before, it is quite easy for him to master the skill. He believed that he is constantly improving his capabilities and addressing new challenges in the process of learning.
Volunteers knitted scarves and gloves.
"We have been calling in volunteers since the end of last November, and so far, more than 40 good-hearted people have partaken in this activity!" According to Liu Li, head of the Home Andover Volunteer Branch of the Red Cherry Volunteer Association, it is expected that they will knit a total of 88 pieces (sets) of wear, of which 80 have been finished, and they will finish the rest before January 10.
By doing so, Liu Li said that Chongqing Andover Ocean Park hopes to extend its care to the socially disadvantaged groups, embody its social value, and contribute to society. Now the organization has a total of 311 volunteers and welcomes new members who are healthy, caring, patient, responsible, and public-minded people over 18 years old.
The scarves and gloves
The Red Cherry, "Winter Knitting for Charity" Knitting Voluntary Service Activity, is now in its eighth year. This year's activity is sponsored by the Office of Chongqing Commission for Spiritual Civilization Construction and organized by the Red Cherry Volunteer Association, gathering volunteers from 26 districts and counties. Since November 2020, the activity has attracted more than 100 volunteers from Happy Knitting Club in Huafu Lane, Daxigou Subdistrict, Yuzhong District, and several branches of Red Cherry Volunteer Association, including Qianye Volunteer Branch, Baiya Corporation Volunteer Branch, Home Andover Volunteer Branch, and Jiulongpo District Psychological Counselor Association Volunteer Branch.
According to the original plan, the volunteers from the above-mentioned charity organizations and districts, and counties will collectively knit 15,000 pieces (sets) of wear, which will be donated to the children in rural schools in 14 deeply impoverished villages and towns in Chongqing.