The Elizabethtown College Stitch2Serve Club invites students, faculty and staff to participate in their winter yarn drive.

The club will accept donations until Monday, Feb. 13.

All donations will go toward club projects that will help those in need.

Donation boxes can be found in the academic buildings, the BSC and St. Paul’s United Methodist Church on Locust St. The yarn drive is the first in a series of events the club has planned for the upcoming semester.

Their next big project involves crocheting teddy bears to give to first responders.

Fire stations, EMTs and policemen often give soft toys to comfort children in shock. By creating these cuddly crocheted teddy bears, Stitch2Serve hopes to supply for this community need.

During each Stitch2Serve meeting, members will learn the techniques necessary in order to create these bears.

All outside donations are welcome. Patterns for the bears are available in the club’s public folder.

Stitch2Serve also hosted their first knit-in of the semester Tuesday, Feb. 7 from 6 to 9 p.m.

The event at the High Library drew students, faculty and staff from the College, as well as members of the surrounding community. This knit-in is the first of the monthly meetings that will bring Etown students and community members together.

For the first time this year, Stitch2Serve will travel to the Elizabethtown Public Library one Saturday each month.

By doing so, they hope to convene with the Etown Library Knitters, a community knitting group.

Members of this community group often come up to the College each month for the Knit-In and often contribute yarn and knitted creations.

By reversing the journey, club officers believe they will bring the two groups closer together.

Sophomore Becca Coder joined the club during her first year at Etown and loves how it combines one of her favorite hobbies with her passion for service.

“I learned the value of knitting in OT,” Coder said. “Being a part of the club allows me to take time out of my everyday life so I can relax.”

Coder participated in the club’s last service project by knitting a scarf for a Harrisburg women’s shelter.

Last semester, the group also worked together to create a large afghan. They plan to donate it to Elizabethtown Community Housing and Outreach Services (ECHOS) this semester.

Other past projects include hats, scarves and boot cuffs. The club also sells some of their products at a booth at the Homecoming Activities Fair.

With the yarn accumulated from the ongoing drive, club members hope create even more to serve the close-knit Etown community.

To learn more about Stitch2Serve, email stitch2serve@etown.edu.