The Guardian Angels are at it again. The craft organization that makes the colourful quilts, touques, mitts, and kitchen accouterments display the wares on a rainy Saturday. The occasional downpour didn’t stop visitors from dropping by Josie Stroeder’s  garage where the display was set up.

The angels have long been crafting various products for donation to individuals and institutions where there is a need. Countless blankets and quilts have gone to the Humboldt and District Hospital for use by patients. Toques and mitts find their way to children who may be ill. It’s all thanks to a network of volunteers, says head angel Stroeder. 

“Our angels range from 70 to 94 years of age. We supply them with the yearn, and some people provide their own, but that’s why we have a little fundraiser to raise money.”

The fundraiser takes the form of sale of homemade dishcloths. The group also accepts donations. A twenty dollar gift buys four balls of yarns to keep the crafters going, says Stroeder. The group also welcomes the donation of large plastic tubs to house the yarn and the finished craft work. 

For years, the Guardian Angel group toiled quietly behind the scenes with word of mouth fuelling the efforts of the eight or so women involved. That’s changed in the course of only a year, says Stroeder. 

“We went from eight ladies to fifty-two ladies in one year. We’re so proud. We never showcased the work before, but now we do.” The drive-by displays held over the past couple years have undeniably raised the profile of the group.

This week will see a nurses appreciation event at the hospital, and the Angels have been asked to provide gifts for the staff. Increasingly the donations have stayed local as the need has been greater in the area. Very often the donations are made secretly, as in the case of a personal delivery Josie made to a little boy diagnosed with cancer. A special package was made for a little girl in the household, all without fanfare. 

Stroeder showed a package destined for the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital, a clear demonstration that wherever the need is, the Guardian Angels will be there to provide. 

For more information, or to volunteer or donate, contact Josie Stroeder at 306-682-2557.