During Thanksgiving, even potholder-sized gestures can mean a lot to struggling families. In collaboration with local food pantries through the Thanksgiving Potholder Project, McLean is working to create 100 handmade potholders to be distributed through donation drives at the beginning of November.
“It’s a way to celebrate the holidays and to provide some handmade things that show care, and it’s giving something that’s actually useful too to families in need,” librarian Lisa Koch said.
Participants typically spend around an hour making each potholder, and Koch noted that even beginners can pick it up quickly. Since the start of the program, 53 potholders have been created, and students’ names are proudly displayed on a board in the front of the library, advertising both their success and enticing new participants.
Beyond the warmth these potholders offer, the program also serves as a creative, hands-on opportunity for students to contribute to their community while earning volunteer service hours.
“I think that having an outlet to do some making and having it be a form of service is really special,” Koch said. “Making something isn’t a part of a lot of students’ day, and it provides stress relief.”
The library is hoping to have other service and creative opportunities throughout the year, but they still encourage students to come down and give back to he community, one potholder at a time.
“We will be doing other things, like making hats later this year and maybe some more things which will be more impactful,” Koch said. “But this is a good, fun way to start.”