After nine long months of the Abraxas Marienville female residents loom knitting baby hats, their hard work finally paid off. Jeanne Godlesky and Monique Bowling began teaching the girls how to loom knit early last summer. Under the guidance of Ms. Boling and Mrs. Godlesky, twenty-one girls worked for a total of sixty-three community service hours to produce nearly seventy-five baby hats.
On February 16, 2017, Mrs. Godlesky and Ms. Boling along with driver/photographer Dave Dunn delivered the hats to Magee-Women's Hospital's Delivery Unit in Pittsburgh, PA. The girls met Special Events Assistant Alison Grachen who guided them to the third floor of Magee- Women's Hospital where they met the Unit Director Kristen. Kristen spent some time conducting an impromptu career path discussion with the girls and answered many questions they had about pediatric nursing and childbirth.
Since the unit was under construction, they did not get to tour the actual unit, but they were promised that with additional donations in the future, they we will be able to do so next time. Abraxas Marienville was very proud of their seventy-five hats until they learned that Magee-Women's Hospital's Delivery Unit delivers an average of 800 to 1,000 babies per month – they jokingly told them they cannot knit that fast!
The girls and staff spent additional time asking Kristen about other needs patients may have at Magee-Women's Hospital. Some suggestions talked about were more baby hats, baby blankets, larger hats for women going through chemotherapy, and blankets or shawls. The girls at Abraxas Marienville are excited to begin new projects and provide more comfort and warmth for those in need.
