On a frigid Saturday morning, East Meck Media Specialist Marie Connolly secured a crocheted scarf around a tree in uptown Charlotte. She continued walking around with her friends as they wrapped more scarves around statues, benches and posts around the city. Each scarf had a kind note to encourage people to take one if they were cold.
“We each had like a bag of 15 scarves, and we just spun out from First Ward Park,” Connolly said.
This winter, Connolly crocheted 45 scarves and left them around Charlotte to help those in need stay warm. Connolly started the project last year, crocheting scarves whenever she had free time.
“Most of the time [it takes] less than like 90 minutes,” she said. “I would do it while I watched Netflix and just go until it reaches past my feet.”
Connolly has been crocheting since she was 23, when a neighbor taught her during the summer before Connolly went to graduate school.
“She was amazing at both [crocheting and knitting],” she said. “I kind of regret not getting her to show me earlier.”
Since learning how to crochet, the skill has become a part of her everyday life.
“It’s kind of a fun little tradition,” Connolly said. “It’s something fun to do because it gives me something to do in my freetime outside of work.”
Last year, Connolly saw a Pinterest post where someone left scarves around for others to take during cold spells. She decided to execute this project herself, making 32 scarves that year. This year, she surpassed her goal of 40 by five scarves.
“Might as well put a little good out there,” Connolly said. “I was going to probably do some sort of craft project anyway, and this could help someone so [it was a] win-win.”
Students were not surprised upon hearing Connolly’s act of kindness.
“She is very lovable,” senior Dialorkai Korta said. “She is really nice, and she offers help to anyone who needs it.”
Connolly plans to continue doing this project in the future. She wants to start making hats to go along with the scarves.
“It’s something that will be the good you want to see in the world,” Connolly said. “Something positive, especially with all the craziness we’ve had this year with school safety and all that, and like doing this is just trying to offset that bad feeling type of stuff.”