If residents or motorists passing by Zoo Lake in Parkview on 9 July wondered what all the colour on the trees and poles was all about, well, it was the sixth annual Secret Scarf Mission. The nationwide initiative by 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day was not just at Zoo Lake but also in other parts of the region including Norwood.
KnitWits for Madiba around the country spend months knitting and crocheting beautiful scarves to distribute by draping them around trees and poles all around South Africa.
According to the founder of 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day, Carolyn Steyn, the initiative is no longer secret as people expect it every once a year. “At the same time (3pm) across all our distribution regions, we create a winter wonderland, stitch by stitch, with colour and warmth. Every scarf that’s hung on a tree has a love note attached to it reading, ‘I am not lost, if you are cold and need me, please take me’,” said Steyn.
She said people would then drift into the park on their way to the bus stop or going home and would stumble across the transformed park.
“Some people wonder what the catch is, but there is no catch, it’s for free! We are doing this to keep Madiba’s legacy alive. It raises awareness of 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day with more people joining the movement,” Steyn said.
Headmistress at Reshomile Primary School in Diepsloot, Deidrey Xulu, who also crochets for the initiative, said they have been working with the 67 Blankets group since 2014 and have been receiving blankets for their learners. “During winter, most of the learners don’t have anything to keep them warm. Last year we received more than 700 scarves. In whatever we do, I always involve the community and this year I have received more than 100 blankets for the ‘oldies’ in the community,” Xulu said.
She added that there’s a lot more that they get from 67 Blankets with some learners getting bursaries, food parcels and Christmas presents.
Steyn said that the initiative started as a challenge from Nelson Mandela’s assistant in 2014. Steyn proceeded to post the challenge onto social media and it ‘exploded’ into a movement for good change. The founder said the initiative is mainly about blankets and they have handed out thousands of blankets so far this winter as they make every day a Mandela Day.
Therefore, their Secret Scarf Mission is more like a ‘holiday’ as they rest from knitting and crocheting something as big as blankets.
About a thousand scarves were distributed at Zoo Lake with thousands more at the other places.
Details: 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day www.67blankets.co.za
Doing some charity work for the community, invite us by email to naidines@caxton.co.za
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