“Oh my gosh, what I think about my mom in general is that she’s awesome. She does so well. I hate those words ‘for her age,’ but really, we just feel very blessed,” Mary Jo said. “We all have to have a purpose, and for Mom, it’s scarves.”
Mary Jo – Vera’s Daughter
A FRIENDSHIP STITCHED WITH KINDNESS AND GENEROSITY
A long-distance friendship and a shared passion for knitting has resulted in warmth and comfort for those in need in our community. Karen, who lives in Spokane, met Vera while visiting Arizona. At 101 years old, Vera spends hours knitting with enthusiasm. During one of their visits, she confided to Karen that she was considering giving up her beloved hobby because she could no longer afford yarn.
Touched by Vera’s story, Karen made a heartfelt offer: she would provide the yarn if Vera continued knitting. Karen also promised to distribute the scarves Vera made to those in need in the Spokane area. This simple arrangement has blossomed into a beautiful partnership defined by kindness, friendship, and a shared commitment to giving back.
“Vera is a remarkable lady,” Karen said, reflecting on her friend’s boundless
generosity and spirit.
Vera, who splits her time between Arizona in the winter and Minnesota the rest of the year, has never let distance hinder their collaboration. Karen regularly purchases yarn to ensure Vera can keep knitting, which she does for 4-5 hours each day. Despite her age, Vera’s days are filled with activity—playing Bridge several times a week, practicing the organ, and, of course, knitting. She even makes time for a daily half-glass of red wine.
“Oh, you bet, mine is sitting here waiting for me right now,” Vera joked, noting that her wine of choice is Carlo Rossi.
Once Vera finishes the scarves, Karen brings them back to Spokane, where they are donated to local nonprofit organizations. This past summer alone, their efforts resulted in over 70 new knitted winter scarves being donated to SNAP.
“I saw on the news that SNAP was having a Pajama Party to collect winter clothes. I couldn’t attend the event, but I reached out to see if they would be interested in a donation,” Karen explained.
Thanks to the ongoing generosity and unique partnership between Karen and Vera, SNAP will distribute the scarves to some of Spokane’s most vulnerable community members this winter.
Vera’s daughter, Mary Jo, proudly shares her admiration for her mother’s continued passion.
“Oh my gosh, what I think about my mom in general is that she’s awesome. She does so well. I hate those words ‘for her age,’ but really, we just feel very blessed,” Mary Jo said. “We all have to have a purpose, and for Mom, it’s scarves.”
Despite being 101, Vera shows no signs of slowing down.
“Yes, I may not make as many scarves, but I’m still knitting,” she said. “It takes about two and a half days to make each one.”
And when she gets tired of knitting, she reads. For Vera, this simple yet meaningful act of knitting scarves is not just a hobby, it’s a way to stay connected to others, to share warmth, and to give back to those in need.
Karen echoed that sentiment, expressing her gratitude to SNAP and its volunteers.
“Thank you for making Spokane such a wonderful place to live for everyone, especially through the winter,” she said, recognizing the community’s shared effort to support those who need it most.
We would appreciate your support as we provide opportunities to people in need.