Knitter and Friends rally to help Fitchburg…
Knitter and Friends rally to help Fitchburg Library
PUBLISHED: October 6, 2009 at 12:00 a.m. | UPDATED: July 12, 2019 at 12:00 a.m.
FITCHBURG — A local resident has taken it upon herself to help raise money for the Fitchburg Public Library, all in honor of her mother.
Since Mayor Lisa Wong cut the library's budget from about $1.1 million to about $300,000 and hours from 63 to 21 per week, the Friends of the Fitchburg Public Library have stepped up their efforts to support the library.
One member of the group, Harrison Avenue resident Mary Willoughby, has organized her own knitting fundraiser. And Friends President Jim Walsh is looking for more people to help.
"We're never going to be able to come up with enough money to offset what was cut from the budget," Walsh said. "But, if we can provide more support than we have in years past, that would be awesome. The more the better."
Walsh said the friends group in years past has donated about $10,000 to the library annually.
Last year, they donated $13,000 after they began some new fundraisers.
This year, they're looking to donate even more.
"The more fundraising we can do, the more events we can have, the more that people take the lead, the better off we'll be," Walsh said.
Willoughby, 57, has taken the call to action to heart.
Willoughby has long been a library supporter, but re-joined the Friends group after the hours were cut.
"I said, I really need to help," Willoughby said.
Her mother, Nancy Keenan O'Neil, and her father, Herb O'Neil, both loved the library and her mother loved to knit, too.
Now, Willoughby has started the Nancy Project, in which she is knitting as many scarves as she can with the intention of selling them between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
All the money raised will be donated to the library.
"We're hoping people will enjoy buying a nice, handmade present to give out at the holidays," Willoughby said.
Willoughby already has friends and family working to knit scarves with her. But she's looking for more knitters, or volunteers to donate yarn.
Anyone interested in volunteering with the Nancy Project can either call Willoughby at (978) 855-7813, or can attend the next Friends group meeting, Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in the Garden Room of the library.
She'll be selling the scarves at the library after Thanksgiving.
Walsh hopes to discuss other fundraisers the Friends group can undertake this year at the meeting.