By Susan Shinn
Salisbury Post
Kids who come to the Victory Gang Junction Camp this summer will be taking a little piece of Salisbury home with them.
The members of the VFW Post 3006 Ladies Auxiliary are participating in a statewide project to donate afghans to the camp in Randleman.
Each child who attends gets to take home an afghan. More than 1,200 children attend the camp every summer, so the need for volunteer assistance is great, according to Abby Lipsky, who is in charge of the camp’s sewing program.
“We have wonderful groups from all over the United States,” Lipsky says, with everyone from church groups to clubs to residents of retirement facilities to individuals making afghans, quilts and bears.
Mary Barnhardt of China Grove is heading up the project for her ladies auxiliary group.
At their last meeting, the women discovered that more than 50 afghans had been completed. The blankets are due at the end of April.
“It’s the new state president’s project,” Barnhardt says. “I crochet and I knit, and I said, ‘we’ll help.’ ”
Other members of the auxiliary crochet as well; those who don’t have donated yarn for the project, so it’s been a total group effort.
About 15 to 25 ladies come to auxiliary meetings from all over Rowan County. Any woman who’s had a service member in the military is eligible for membership.
Barnhardt’s husband, J.T., is a Navy veteran. He had attended the former VFW in China Grove before transferring to the Salisbury unit several years ago.
The couple enjoys attending the meetings.
Barnhardt still works part-time at Mona’s Flower Shop and is a Hospice volunteer.
“That keeps me connected to the working world,” she says.
She says of the project, “One person couldn’t do this. It takes everybody. There’s a lot of people who like to do things if you just get the word to them.”
The only requirement for the afghans is that they be 36 inches by 46 inches ó and that they’re as colorful as possible.
The ladies of the 3006 have certainly accomplished that goal.
The afghans sport a variety of bright colors and patterns.
Barnhardt made one that’s red, white and blue.
“I’m so proud of that,” she says. “I thought this was really cheerful. You can see my mistakes, but the children aren’t going to notice.”
Other women used variegated yarns, some are pastel ó one is even a camouflage pattern.
“I haven’t seen a one alike,” Barbara Webb says.
Shirley Kyles has been crocheting for 20 years, she estimates. She started back about a year ago, when she crocheted a baby blanket for her pastor’s wife.
One of Kyles’ grandsons has special needs, so that’s where her heart is, she says.
Webb learned to crochet at age 7 from her grandmother ó she’s been crocheting on and off for years, she says.
“I lost 10 pounds doing it!” says Jean Morris.
“It’s a lot of fun and satisfaction to be able to help,” Ruby Parris says. “Colors you wouldn’t think go together do. They’re soft and lovable and warm.”
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For more information about the sewing project at Victory Junction Gang Camp, contact Abby Lipsky at 336-495-2009 or alipsky@victoryjunction.org.
If you would like to help crochet or donate yarn to the VFW Post 3006 Ladies Auxiliary, call Mary Barnhardt at 704-857-9177.
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Contact Susan Shinn at 704-797-4289 or sshinn@salisburypost.com.