Volunteering warms winter

A 97-year-old Villa Maria volunteer, Eva Parker, is using her knitting talents to bring comfort to people across generations – and even across the globe this winter. 

Victoria’s Monbulk resident has been knitting squares since last September to send to Villa Maria’s Berwick aged care residence for residents to sew together and create blankets.

Ms Parker (pictured) is among more than 300 Villa Maria volunteers who are being honoured as part of National Volunteer Week this week.

She wrote a letter to Villa Maria’s Volunteering Resources, expressing her interest in volunteering, but had explained she had limitations with travel due to poor health. 

“I’ve knitted for many years and for a variety of charities,” Ms Parker says, adding she was interested in helping wherever she could.

Each week, Ms Parker orders wool to be sent to her door as she cannot go out shopping. Due to her poor eyesight preventing her from the more intricate task of sewing the squares together, each week she posts about seven squares to Berwick for residents to complete the task.

Volunteering resources recruitment co-ordinator, Bronwyn Summers, says Berwick residents always look forward to the arrival of Eva’s knitted squares; with residents enjoying the process of completing beautiful rugs for the use of their fellow residents.

Ms Summers says one resident, Dorothy, had planned to use some of the squares to make a small rug and send to South Africa for babies in need.

“This story is a great reflection of Villa Maria’s value of being person centred as it is allowing Ms Parker to experience the joy of volunteering to help others, and also assisting the residents of Berwick to participate in an activity they may not otherwise do.  And on top of that, it’s fantastic to see the recipients are people in need of a warm blanket or an unexpected gift,” Ms Summers says.

Ms Parker, who was a dressmaker in her working life, says knitting the squares helps keep her busy.

“I don’t like to sit and do nothing so I sit and knit.  If I’m watching the cricket or tennis, I knit while I’m doing that, so I get through more in a day if that’s on.  As long as Villa Maria still needs them, I’ll keep doing them,” she says.

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