Sometimes you go looking for one thing and find something much bigger
Our FUN-raising team has a bit of a wool problem. A good problem, but still. We have bags and bags of fleece from our sheep, including wool from this summer’s shearing and even some from years past.
And we needed someone who could help us clean it.
By pure chance, Catherine from our FUN-raising team discovered Woolwerx, an amazing social enterprise created by the Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver (EFry Greater Vancouver). Woolwerx provides training and employment to women transitioning out of the legal system, homelessness and substance abuse challenges.
Chandra reached out, and it felt like the universe aligned.
In September, Chandra, Catherine and Lauren, our new Community Programs Director, visited Woolwerx and spent hours with Kirsty, their Program Lead, talking about wool, animals and all the ways our two organizations might work together.
Summer, their Team Lead, gave us a full tour and showed us how their team cleans, cards, spins and crafts donated wool.
They turn it into everything from skeins of yarn and dryer balls to ornaments, earrings, cat toys and so much more. We may have fallen a little bit in love with the turkey ornament.
The best part? Their team LOVES animals.
We’re now talking about bringing the Woolwerx women out to Kindred to meet the sheep whose wool they’ll be working with. They are especially excited to meet Hazel, and we can’t wait to introduce them to her.
What started as a search for someone to help us clean some wool has turned into the start of a partnership we’re really excited about.
And there was one other reason we needed that wool…
Shhhh. It’s top secret, but some of it has a very special role to play in our upcoming year-end campaign.
More on that soon.
Learn more about the wonderful work happening at Woolwerx: woolwerx.com.