GRAVETTE -- A Mad Hatters tea party was held from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 7, at the First Christian Church in Gravette. Ladies who attended worked on crocheting and knitting hats for patients at Arkansas Children's Hospital and enjoyed tea and cookies, sandwiches, cheese and crackers while engaging in the project to show love for children of the area.
Dr. Nancy Jones has been knitting hats for ACH patients for several years. She says she is sometimes called the "Gravette mad hatter" and explains that she started the project when her daughter Rachel was a Girl Scout and she served as a Scout leader. She taught the girls in the Scout troop to knit hats on looms and they logged several volunteer hours and began contributing hats to the hospital.
The Scout project was soon expanded to become a part of the "Knitting for Noggins" project at Arkansas Childrens Hospital and many thousands of hats have been contributed over the years.
Dr. Jones encourages others to join in knitting hats for the project. Knitters meet periodically at the church to work on hats and she provides knitting looms and yarn for the workers. Ladies who don't know how to knit are invited to come and learn. She hosts a Mad Hatters tea party in the fall to reward those who have helped with the project. Participants gather to socialize, enjoy refreshments and knit.
The hats will be delivered to Arkansas Childrens Hospital Northwest and some will be sent on to ACH in Little Rock.
