November 14, 2016 – The project formally known as “Beanies for Babies” has kicked off at Nevada County Juvenile Hall. This year it has been renamed in honor of Amanda Pingree, who originally inspired the program and lost her battle with breast cancer last February. Over the past 7 holiday seasons, youth at the Juvenile Hall have used looms to knit over 800 beanies that have been donated to various charities. The girls and boys housed at Juvenile Hall volunteer to participate by spending their free-time knitting hats. The knitted hats are made in three sizes: infant, child and adult. This year the beanies will be donated to local organizations including: Hospitality House, Child Protective Services, Domestic Violence Coalition and the Cancer Center.
This project has been successful in teaching youth at the Juvenile Hall about charity and the value of giving back to their community. This is a wonderful opportunity for youth to make a positive contribution while incarcerated; it also builds self-esteem by giving youth a sense of accomplishment. Between November 1st and Christmas Day the youth will spend their time knitting to fulfill a goal of 75 beanies by Christmas. Area residents who are interested in supporting the project are encouraged to donate any unused looms or yarn to the Nevada County Juvenile Hall. Potential donors may contact Lynn Slay at (530) 470-2603 for directions and convenient drop off times.