It is not just for the elderly; high school students are taking on this age-old hobby and giving back to the community while doing it. This year, more than any other, Broomfield students discovered that crocheting makes for a fun way to spend their lunch once a week. Not to mention the club supports a great cause. Andrea Binion, language arts teacher and crochet extraordinaire, runs Crocheting for a Cause every Wednesday during common lunch in her classroom, room 922. Everyone is welcome to join and no materials or experience is required.

        Not many people would expect crochet club to be as popular as it is, not even Mrs. Binion. She said, “My mom and my grandmas did it, but it’s not like a hip thing to do, so I never expected it would be something that kids would want to do.” Crochet club started out with about five members the first year and has fluctuated in number since. However, this year is by far the most successful Crocheting for a Cause has ever been. Walk in a few minutes late and crocheters have to sit on the floor because all of the desks are taken.

So what is all the excitement about anyway? “The best part about being in a club is that you have other people that have your same interests and you can get to know them and you’re all working towards a common goal, so that’s really cool,” said Brenna Fankell, a senior. Brenna has been a part of Crocheting for a Cause since her freshmen year. She also said, “As a hobby, my favorite thing is that I can use it to help people. I really like doing volunteer work and crocheting is definitely one of the best ways for me to do that.” Not only is crocheting a fun hobby to do during free time or with friends, but at the same time it is also helping those less fortunate.

        Of course, it is not all fun and games in crochet club. There is always some cause or project the club takes on as a whole that they then work together to help benefit. The first project the club took on was making blankets for the North Metro Fire Department. This project helped children who have been removed from meth-producing households. Since then, these students have also helped support homeless shelters in Boulder and Denver; contributed to Project Linus, a group that gives blankets to kids in need; supported Sweet Dream in a Bag, a project that gives stuffed animals and bedding to kids who have never had a permanent bed; and, finally, provided to groups that donate hats to premature and stillborn babies. Right now, the club is working on making blankets for a project that benefits kids who have lost a parent. Crocheting for a Cause always takes on new projects and gives back to the community in new ways.

        Whether you are looking to learn a new hobby, make new friends, or to help out the community through volunteer work, Crocheting for a Cause is the club for you. A lot of students are intimidated by joining a new club because they do not have any experience and they are afraid it will be hard. Brenna said her advice to anyone thinking about joining crochet club would be, “I would say absolutely join. It’s a lot of fun, and it’s not as hard as you think.” So grab a ball of yarn and a hook and stop by Mrs. Binion’s classroom during lunch on Wednesdays to join the crochet fun.