By Sue Wambolt, Contributing Writer
Northborough – When the Boston Marathon bombing struck terror in our backyard on April 15, one Northborough woman knew that she had to “do something good in response to the evil” which had taken place on American soil.
Having lived through the depression and various wars, the woman – who asked to remain anonymous – put her hands to work, using her crochet needles as a way to mend her broken heart. Because she also wanted to give back and pay tribute to the men and women who have fought and continue to fight for our freedom, the woman set to work crocheting an American flag afghan.
As a member of the Northborough chapter of the General Foundation of Women's Clubs (GFWC) which was founded in 1890, the woman is one of more than 50 Massachusetts women who work together to enhance the quality of life in the community through their volunteer efforts. The international women's organization was founded in 1890 and boasts 100,000-plus members.
The woman joins scores of Americans whose lives were transformed on that fateful day in April when unsuspecting runners and eager onlookers were met with the explosion of two pressure cooker bombs near the finish line on Boylston Street.
“My husband was a Marine. Many of our club's members and their families served in the defense of our country. The day Boston was bombed by terrorists was terrible. It wasn's possible, it was horrible. I couldn's believe it,” she said.
It was then that she sat down and began to crochet the afghan which would, when finished, showcase the beauty and grandeur of Old Glory. It would represent freedom and the deep-seeded American pride which flowed through her blood. And, although the woman ran out of red yarn more than once and had to continually fix mistakes from the very old pattern she was following which only had 48 stars, the result was perfect.
After the afghan was complete, leftover yarn was used to crochet a “lap robe” which she donated to a local nursing home.
In an act of generosity and kindness, the woman donated the afghan to the Vincent F. Picard American Legion Post 234 Women's Auxiliary.
“This is where freedom was born and kept through the blood of our soldiers,” she said.
The afghan will be raffled off next Patriots Day with the proceeds benefiting college scholarships for local students.
“I like being a role model for young people,” the woman said. “There is comfort with what you do for others. I look for opportunities to share and use what I have, thinking of others and remembering where we came from.”
Her generosity of spirit and action has not gone unnoticed.
“It is a privilege to know this wonderful, giving woman who reminds me of a time where doing for others and giving to strangers was a more common occurrence,” said Northborough resident Lorraine Lee. “Although the GFWC group is small in number, the thousands of hours of acts of kindness and caring for their community and the world at large is priceless.”
The GFWC meets at Trinity Church, 23 Main St., Northborough, the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7 pm.
To learn more about GFWC visit www.GFWC.org.
