Completed hearts from JWES on display with others near the Innisfail hospital. (Supplied)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

Community Project

Innisfail students join in “heart”-warming project

Jun 27, 2023 | 12:59 PM

Officials with Chinook’s Edge School Division say John Wilson Elementary School with the help of a few Innisfail Middle School students have contributed to a “heart”-warming community project in Innisfail.

Officials say students crocheted and knitted hearts to be hung with others from the community in a display near a seniors living facility and the hospital. Students learned to crochet and knit over several months so that they could contribute.

Students then joined with other crafters in Innisfail recently to create the art display, with the hearts attached to a fence nearby the hospital and a seniors living facility. The intent of the display, officials point out, is to cheer and encourage seniors who can see it.

“When we were asked if our school wanted to participate in this project we jumped at the chance,” said Angela Warke, Principal, John Wilson Elementary School. “We love opportunities for students to connect with the community and provide service. Children develop empathy when they have meaningful, real life experiences helping others. We’re glad to have been a part of this project.”

John Wilson student, Ava Specht said, “Me and my Grandma saw a girl, [Karen Scarlet, the artist that initiated the project], and she told us about the hearts and we thought it would be good if we did something nice like this for the seniors. They would smile.”

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“It made my heart fill with more joy to do this,” continued Specht. “I helped put the hearts up and we made a train and put them around the fence. It was fun to hang them up. It was hard to learn [to knit or crochet] and you might need some more time to keep trying but don’t give up!”

John Wilson student Elle Evans said, “My sisters both did it and it inspired me to do it too. I wanted to help make people happy when they see the hearts. It made me feel calm to crochet and it was a little hard but I kept trying because I wanted to make a heart.”

John Wilson student, Peyton Rehaume said, “I didn’t know how to knit or crochet and I wanted to learn how to do it because I thought it would be cool to make some hearts and hang them up. I wanted to make the people at the hospital happy when they could look out and see the hearts.”