When the Kenwood knitters heard they were going to have some new neighbors down the street at Peris Hill on Hennepin, they decided to get busy and knit some dishcloths as welcome gifts. Part of Peris Hill is a program for young adults who have aged out of the foster care system. 15 residents live on one floor in their own apartments and are supported by Peris Hill staff who help them find jobs, manage money, and navigate the system set up for their unique situations.
Spring 2022 we dropped off the dishcloths and then decided that wasn’t enough. Kenwood knitters, with the help of relatives, and friends of their knitting coach Mariann Bentz, decided to knit matching sets of hats, mittens, and scarves for each resident. With a grant from Thrivent for yarn, the knitters finished their work in November, just in time to present their handiwork for Thanksgiving.
Lauren Whalen, a case manager at Peris Hill, met with the knitters during one of their regular Thursday afternoon sessions. She marveled at the variety and workmanship of the sets, representing hundreds of hours of work. The knitters and Lauren had a great conversation about the Peris Hill project. The knitters were so pleased to have their work go to such a good purpose.
The knitters look forward to future meetings with the residents, and hope to build a bridge, neighbor to neighbor.
The Kenwood Senior Living is a rental retirement community which provides independent living and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.
For more information, call 612-374-8100.
