After a long, hard week, Kent State students, faculty, and community members have the opportunity to relax, sit, and knit at the Knitting for Those in Need Knit-A-Thon. From 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., volunteers made hats and scarves that will be distributed to homes and shelters across Portage County and Northeast Ohio.

“We’ve been doing this about six years, we do one event in the fall and one event in the spring,” says Louise Ditchey, the KTN faculty advisor. “Our goal is about 50 items in a one, twelve-hour day stretch.”

Emily Rothstein, one of the volunteers and an officer for KTN, says the work they do is very appreciated by the recipients. She recalls when the hats and scarves were delivered to a shelter.

“They put them all on this hat tray, and they pretty much went like that. There is a real need for these products.”

Anyone can help KTN create these items, whether a knitting pro or a first-timer. What counts is that they help at all.

“If you wanna know you’re really helping people with what you do, then I think this is a really great organization,” says Rothstein. “We do make a direct impact that you can see.”

The people receiving the items, however, aren’t the only ones who benefit from the Knit-A-Thon. According to Ditchey, students and staff who attend the Knit-A-Thon bond through their service.

“People have come to the organization and have met people in different residence halls, in different majors, worked with people from other countries, made lifelong friends,” says Ditchey.

If you missed the Knit-A-Thon, Knitting for Those in Need meets every Friday from 4:00 to 6:00 on the 4th floor of the library. Visit their Facebook page “Knitting for Those in Need” for more information about future events.

Maddy Haberberger is a TV2 correspondent. Contact her at [email protected].