By Janet G. Mead

When the Norfolk Knitters were asked to participate in WIN weekend at the end of February, several came up with a brilliant idea: let’s sell all that yarn that’s been sitting in a closet, reserved for projects that never inched beyond the concept stage, and donate the funds to the Norfolk Food Pantry. The founders of the knitting group—a duo of inveterate knitters, Adair Mali and Ruth Melville—organized a yarn drop at the Hub in Station Place the day before the sale. Joined by about a dozen members of the group, they sorted, priced and displayed enough yarn, needles, books and accessories to fill four large tables to overflowing. 

The turnout was surprising—including State Representative Maria Horn and some members of her family, knitters all—and netted the Food Pantry $660. People from Norfolk and surrounding towns who had not knit in years got ideas and advice from the knitting group, who helped with yarn and pattern selections. At the end of the day, the leftovers were boxed up to be given to the Community Health Thrift Store in Winsted, which supports local healthcare and ambulance efforts (the Norfolk Lions Club Ambulance received a gurney from them recently).

“It was just a beautiful event of sharing and joy,” Mali commented.

The timing of the donation to the Norfolk Food Pantry could not have been better: just days before, the SNAP Covid-19 Emergency Benefits had ended for Connecticut recipients. That program had helped many people—and food banks—weather the Covid storm.

The Norfolk Food Pantry, which is sponsored by NorfolkNET, is a small but vital venture. Housed in the basement of Battell Chapel, it is open Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and offers people a variety of food, from fresh to frozen. 

The food pantry has a small refrigerator and freezer and can offer fresh and frozen meat, milk products, vegetables, butter and soups. Donations are always welcome. There is a drop box for food donations outside the basement door which is checked daily. Just drive to the back of the church, to the lower entrance, where there’s a plastic tote with a lid. 

Monetary donations to the food pantry are tax deductible. Checks should be made out to the “Norfolk NET Fund” and sent to the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, 33 East Main Street, Torrington 06790, or they can be made out to “Church of Christ, Congregational” with “Norfolk Food Pantry” in the memo line.