Little Silver, Shrewsbury

Jan 12, 2018

Bayshore Hooks and Needles Group Enters Fifth Year

Laura Siemientkowski, Director of Volunteer Services at Monmouth Medical Center (fourth from left, standing) received donations from the Bayshore Hooks and Needles group.

On December 14, the Bayshore Hooks and Needles group celebrated the completion of another successful year with a potluck luncheon at the Hazlet Library. “The group has now entered its fifth year,” commented Pat Koziol, Holmdel, the founder and leader of the group. “In the month of November alone, we had seven new women join us. This year, we continued to make substantial contributions of baby blankets, blankets, hats, lapghans, scarves, and shawls to Hackensack Meridian Hospice, Monmouth Medical Center, Trinitas Hospital, United Way of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, and veterans at Vineland Hospital. In October, we donated items to the Ladies Auxiliary #3402 of the Knights of Columbus #3402, St. Joseph’s Council, Keyport, for their 2017 Breast Cancer Awareness Barbecue and Basket Auction. Emily Cooper, Holmdel, has been a member of our group for several years and is active in the Ladies Auxiliary, so we were all very pleased to be able to support their fundraiser. And we recently received from them a certificate of appreciation.”

The group’s newest recipient of lapghans is the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home located in Menlo Park. Arrangements for donations to the Memorial Home were made by Doris McKelvey of Hazlet. “With that addition, we are now outreaching to five counties in New Jersey: Cumberland, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Union. We have only 16 counties to go!” said Ms. Koziol. Knowing her and her track record with non-profit organizations, it will only be a matter of time until she and her group achieves that goal.

In November, Mrs. Lily Yu passed away suddenly and is sadly missed by the group. “Lily was one of my experts. She didn’t use a pattern and she could crochet and knit,” remarked Ms. Koziol. The group held a moment of silence in memory of Lily at their December luncheon.

Bayshore Hooks and Needles welcomes donations of new, unused yarn and will continue to meet at the Hazlet Library, 251 Middle Road, throughout 2018. For schedule and information, please contact Ms. Diana Zambrano, branch manager, at (732) 264-6666.