REGINA, Sask. — Victoria Park has been transformed into an outdoor giveaway after Angels 4 Warmth volunteers hung hundreds of scarves, mitts and other handmade items for their annual Scarves in the Park event.
The items are available today and throughout the weekend. Anyone can stop by, choose something for themselves or a family member, and take it home without paying or answering questions.
“We put them out there and we've notified our donor recipients,” said Yvonne Yaschuk, a volunteer who oversees special projects with Angels 4 Warmth. “They can tell their clients to come down and go shopping, find something on the trees that they want for themselves or for their family or whatever.”
The display includes approximately 250 to 300 scarves and nearly 100 tube mitt-and-scarf sets, with options for children and adults. Victoria Park is located downtown, across from the Regina Public Library.
Yaschuk said the group will return Monday to collect any remaining items.
Last year, the volunteers hung approximately 330 scarves and more than 30 children's scarf sets. Only four scarves remained when Yaschuk returned to the park.
“So there's obviously a need out there,” she said. “We're just trying to fill up one little gap that we have in our system.”
A community effort 25 years in the making
Scarves in the Park is one part of Angels 4 Warmth's broader work, which has supported people in Regina and the surrounding area for 25 years.
Approximately 275 volunteers knit, crochet, sew and quilt throughout the year, producing everything from scarves and mitts to quilts, afghans and specialized items for people receiving medical care.
The organization distributes its donations through 75 recipient groups, which provide the items to people in need. In September alone, approximately 2,400 handmade items were delivered to the group's regular meeting location for sorting and distribution.
Some donations serve very specific needs, including soft chemo hats designed not to irritate sensitive skin and palliative care bags.
Yaschuk said the volunteers keep returning because the need for those items continues, particularly as Saskatchewan heads into another winter.
“I think it's really important to recognize that not everybody has the same access to things that some others have,” she said.
People interested in helping can also join the volunteers during the park setup. Yaschuk recalled a woman who came across the event last year, asked what was happening and stayed to help hang scarves for an hour.
For anyone who needs an extra layer this winter, the volunteers have left the invitation hanging in Victoria Park.
To get involved or ask questions about helping out, contact Angels 4 Warmth by calling 306-527-9718, emailing contact@angels4warmthsk.ca or visiting their website.
