Tight-knit parish trims yarn to create wigs for sick kids

By Christine Bordelon
Clarion Herald

Almsgiving can be more than just donating money. And, the parishioners at Divine Mercy Parish in Kenner are demonstrating that this Lenten season.

Through its first-ever Lenten Service Project, Divine Mercy has partnered with a nonprofit organization, the Magic Yarn Project, to do something special for children battling cancer.

On March 16, the parish community center turned into a yarn party, where approximately 40 adult volunteers (called Magic Makers by the nonprofit) were busy cutting 750 skeins of washable, pre-ordered acrylic yarn that will be used to create homemade wigs in the hairstyles of popular Disney characters.

During the two-hour yarn-cutting session, the “Magic Makers” packed 150 Ziploc bags with pre-cut yarn that will be mailed – with all cut yarn completed by parishioners – to The Magic Yarn Project to use to make a whimsical wig, said Maria Sotomayor, the parish’s director of social outreach and community services.

“As soon as we saw the massive turnout from kind parishioners, we were both humbled and blown away by how the Lord provides,” Sotomayor said. “We continue to be amazed by the families and thank God for their hearts of service and generosity.”

The parish’s youth members were scheduled to help with the project on April 3.

Pastor suggested idea
Father Robert Cooper, pastor of Divine Mercy, mentioned at a February staff meeting that he came across The Magic Yarn Project and asked the staff to further research it for a possible parishwide Lent project.

“He mentioned almsgiving as a way for everyone to get together as a parish family,” Sotomayor said.

The parish champions children, she said, and the prospect of bringing joy to little ones who were suffering emboldened parish leaders to pull the effort together in a matter of weeks.

“The parish is so tight knit, that we were able to organize it quickly,” said Sotomayor,  who took the lead on the project with Becky Delatte, parish director of communications and media, and Mark Stewart, the parish’s St. Anthony ministry director. “Since the turn-around time was so fast, we were absolutely amazed by how excited parishioners were to not only donate to help cover the cost of the specialty yarn, but to volunteer with cutting and preparing the yarn for the trained wig makers that are out of state.”

The parish’s part in the wig-making project was to cut yarn for wigs of six different female princess characters that later will be decorated, sewn to a homemade beanie and packaged to give to a sick child. As a guide of how completed wigs looked, The Magic Yarn Project sent Divine Mercy three completed examples of wigs and a flier of children wearing the wigs.

Little girls will easily recognize Ariel’s red yarn tresses of “Little Mermaid” fame; the brown hair resembling Belle from “Beauty and the Beast”; the platinum color and style of Elsa in “Frozen”; the black hair of Jasmine in “Aladdin”; the chocolate hair of Moana; and the long, blonde braid of Rapunzel. (The Magic Yarn Project has beanies and wigs available for young boys, too .)

A relief in tough times
The wigs are a respite for children with cancer.

“That happiness they feel when they put that wig on, and the parents get to see them laugh again, if only for a few moments,” propels Sotomayor to participate in the project. “I believe joy comes from God. Even in pain, you can experience joy.”

In his online newsletter about the project, Father Cooper said parishioners show love to others, especially the sick and suffering, when “we act; we comfort; we help; we show we care, and, during Lent, we redouble our efforts in order to develop our spiritual stamina for living our faith well throughout the year. Our 2022 Lenten Service Project is not about giving things up but about bringing joy and happiness to the lives of children and their families.”

Started by two moms
Holly Christensen, an oncology nurse from Alaska, made the first wig – resembling Rapunzel – in 2014 for a friend’s daughter who was diagnosed with cancer. When other parents requested wigs for their children who were losing hair due to cancer treatments, Christensen solicited volunteers and yarn to continue the effort. Bree Hitchcock was one of the first volunteers.

In 2015, they turned their efforts into the Magic Yarn Project with a goal to “create magic in the lives of children battling cancer, and to inspire volunteerism to help make a difference.” Their project has made more than 30,000 wigs with the help of volunteers in all 50 states and more than 50 countries and donated them free to sick children.

”When I learned about it, it was exciting for me to see two women come together who were wives, mothers and had full-time jobs and yet they do this, and it’s all volunteers,” Sotomayor said.

Dylan Mitchell, pastoral associate and youth director at Divine Mercy, said the project is opening a new avenue for parishioners to impart love to others during Lent.

“This is shining a great light and positivity on a dark and scary situation for children,” Mitchell said. “This proves there are a lot of creative ways to give to others, and we can have fun and build community while doing it.”

Two more volunteer days remain: April 2 from 5-6 p.m., and April 3 from 10 a.m-3 p.m. Divine Mercy is located at 4337 Sal Lentini Pkwy., Kenner. Call (504) 466-5016. If you can’t volunteer, consider a donation to the parish Lenten service project at divinemercyparish.org/yarn.

cbordelon@clarionherald.org