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Show THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Page 12 Volume IX Issue XI March 15, 2004 Eden Knitting Circle By Drienie Hattingh On the March 24, I am starting a women’s knitting circle in Eden. Why? Because I love to knit and have been knitting since I was a little girl and it’s relaxing and you can visit while you knit! I would like to invite women in the Valley to come and join me at the Eden General Store at 6:00 p.m. on every 2nd Wednesday of the month. Both those who can and cannot knit are welcome because you are not only going to learn to knit but we will also be working on a worthwhile project! We are going to knit sweaters for children with disabilities who are underprivileged and live in orphanages all over the world. Our Eden Knitting Circle will be part of an extraordinary nation wide knitting circle, namely the “Guideposts Sweater Project.” I’ve been receiving this wonderful Guideposts Magazine full of true stories of hope and inspiration for more than 30 years. In April of last year, I saw an article in the magazine about the Guideposts Sweater Program! I was intrigued. Since then, I learned all about this wonderful program. Thousands of women all over America are knitting little sweaters for children in orphanages all over the world. At last count, 200,000 sweaters! How absolutely wonderful I thought, and I started knitting my first sweater for this wonderful cause by following Guideposts’ very easy sweater pattern! With this little knitting project, you know that your effort is indeed going straight to a little girl or boy who will wear it when he/she is cold. The Guideposts Sweater Project began in 1996 when a Guideposts editor, Brigitte Weeks, saw a picture in the New York Times of a boy in a refugee camp wearing a hand-knitted sweater that had been given to him by a member of the British charity, OXFAM. As a child, she knitted sweaters for OXFAM. She wrote an article about her experience that was published in Guideposts. Readers read the article, and that was all these women needed to begin knitting too! They wrote in by the hundreds asking for patters, sending sweaters, or donating yarn and money if they couldn’t knit themselves. Now, eight years later, Guideposts readers are still knitting up a storm at a rate of nearly 4,000 sweaters a month! When the packages arrive at Guideposts offices, the sweaters are counted and repacked into larger boxes, which are then sent all over the world. Some of the latest destinations that the sweaters have been shipped to included Romania, Turkey, and Kosovo. The joy that this project brings to the children who receive the Guideposts sweaters is beyond measure, as is the joy of the people who knit them. A while ago, Brigitte Weeks volunteered to go with “Heart to Heart International” who organized an airlift to Uzbekistan to get urgently needed basic medical necessities to the neediest of Uzbekistan’s children. And along with these went the sweaters knitted by Just Listed! Middle Fork Ranches Spacious home on 5 acres. Some finish work still needed. Only $257,000! Guideposts readers from all over the United States. Ms. Weeks saw firsthand the joy of these little children who proudly wore their sweaters. One of their stops was at the Kirby Orphanage for children with mental and physical disabilities which is located on the outskirts of Tashkent, capital of the former Soviet republic of Uzbekistan. Twenty children performed for the volunteers—telling them things and singing songs in a language that the volunteers did not understand. A little girl with very short black hair and no front teeth—giving her that impish look that sixyear-olds have—handed a bunch of flowers to the volunteers after reciting two poems about peace and thanksgiving. She had a red sweater on that she received earlier, and her face was full of immense joy. The pink blossoms were held between her forearms because she had no hands. Her name was Karomat, meaning prediction in Uzbek, and her last name, Topibodieva, meant found girl. As well as having no hands, this beautiful little girl had no feet. Ms. Weeks stated in the article that she learned a lot in Uzbekistan. “The sweaters are more than just a source of warmth (to the children). The patient work of your (the knitters’) hands carries the message of your caring and grace of God to those children. I have another half done already, each stitch a prayer for the cold and needy. Many wonderful and poignant moments have stayed with me from my journey, but the most vivid memory of all is of my new friend Karomat, the found girl, in her red sweater, holding out a bouquet of pink flowers. They are for all of you who participate in the Guideposts Sweater Project.” As you can see from the aforementioned, this is an astonishing powerful project to be involved in, and I would love to have you be part of it too. We can all learn together and do something worthwhile for those who are less fortunate than we are, and while doing it, we can have wonderful visits. There is no cost involved in joining the Eden Knitting Circle and no RSVP needed—just come and participate! Goals for the Eden Knitting Circle: Learn the basics of knitting Take part in the Guideposts Sweater Project Getting together in a relaxing atmosphere to discuss interesting topics. Bring the following: 16 ounces (450 grams) Worsted Weight Yarn Straight knitting needles, sizes 5(3.75mm) and 7(4.50mm) One final note, volunteers that have participated in the “sweater drop-offs” around the world have noticed that the children all went for the brightly colored sweaters—those that are bright red, yellow, green, or purple, etc. Hope to see you at the Eden Knitting Circle! Note: The Eden Knitting Circle is only open to adults at this time, but I am considering having a children’s knitting circle in the afternoons. If you are interested in a children’s knitting program, let me know by calling 801-7453635. Just Listed! Spectacular Huntsville home on 1.6 AC, 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths Gorgeous office, huge covered porch. $535,000! Layton, Wild Bird Center Nature/Bird Walk Schedule Take a Walk on the Wild Side! We call it a Nature/Bird Walk because we look at various animals, flowers, and other interesting natural elements on our outings, as well as birds, as we encounter them. The walk is often a “ride” in the car, since a car makes a great blind. When we do walk, we normally go to areas that are wheelchair accessible. We meet at the Wild Bird Center between 7:30 a.m. and 7:45 a.m., and depart the store at 8:00 a.m. (unless otherwise noted). Dress for the weather and bring binoculars (loaners are available). The upcoming schedule has three particularly fun events planned. The first is when we view our national symbol, the majestic Bald Eagle. Watch these graceful raptors as they patrol the skies over Farmington Bay. Then we will explore a Marsh at night under a full moon. This will be during the Tundra Swans migration through Northern Utah. The other walk that you will not want to miss is the Sage Grouse dancing on the Lek, a traditional spring mating ritual that is a real Disney style show. Bring the whole family. It is a great way to introduce children to nature. The only cost for the Nature/Bird Walk is enthusiasm; we provide the rest. When and where there is an entrance fee, the Wild Bird Center picks up the tab; you’re our guest. Schedule March 13: Great Shoreline Preserve, West Layton March 20: East Kaysville Foothills March 27: East Canyon, Sage Grouse dancing on the Lek (Leave the store at 5 a.m.) Feel Better and Live Longer Walking and Hiking Reduce the Risks Walking or hiking just 30 minutes a day, three or four times a week can reduce these risks. Plus, walking or hiking has been shown to: By Helene Liebman; Chair, Ogden Valley Pathways New Year’s resolutions already in the wastebasket? Clothes a little tight? Feeling a bit down in the dumps? Well, have we got the answer for you— walking, hiking, cycling, horseback riding, or cross-country skiing. You won’t find a better way to lose weight, increase your energy, and improve your physical and mental health, says the American Heart Association. On top of these pay-offs, people of any age can easily enjoy almost any of these activities. Most of us know how to walk or hike, and walking or hiking require no expensive equipment, just a good pair of shoes. Epidemic of Obesity With over 60% of U.S. adults obese or overweight, the U.S. Surgeon General says that we have an epidemic of obesity in this country. Excess weight increases our risks for a host of illnesses: Heart Disease High Blood Pressure Diabetes Arthritis Some Cancers Help you lose weight and keep it off Decrease your cholesterol Improve your mood and self-esteem Relieve back pain Increase your energy Help you sleep better For women, increase our bone density and reduce our risk of osteoporosis For all of us, increase the disease fighting immune cells called “natural killers” which fight off viruses and cancer These are just a few of the benefits of walking and hiking. In future issues, we’ll explore more of these benefits and lay out how you can start a walking or hiking program of your own. We’ll even give you a chart that shows how many calories you burn up for every 30 minutes of walking or hiking. Remember, just 30 minutes a day, three to four times each week, will leave you feeling better and living longer! April Ogden Valley Pathways Meeting OVP’s next meeting will be on Wednesday, April 7, at 7:00 p.m. at the Huntsville Library. Come out and join us as the weather gets warmer and the snow starts to melt. We’ve an exciting summer planned with trail construction, trail maintenance, and fund-raising, and we’d like your ideas and input. For more information, contact Geoff Ellis at 393-2304, or Helene Liebman at 7451799. Just Listed! Ski Lake Estates! 360 degrees of unobstructed views. Snowbasin, Pineview, wildlife. 5 BD, 3.5 BA, 3-car garage on 1 acre. Don’t miss out! $389,900! Easy Fit Within Your Budget! Country Living! Comfy 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, office, family room,on .92 acre. horse property. $237,200! Eden Mini-Ranch 5 bedrooms, 2 baths, rambler on 1 acre! 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Beautiful Huntsville Town Moments to the lake. Lots of room. 6 BD, 3 BA brick home. .75 acre. $289,000! 6 bedrooms, 3baths, extra shop, new paint, magnificent views. $310,000! Dyan Gill 801 644-5853 |