American Heritage Girls crochet project will benefit homeless, refugees

By Catherine Krause

Photo: (Left to right) Justine Fancher, Gretchen Krause and Emily Mourn, members of American Heritage Girls Troop CO-OOO2 at Corpus Christi Parish, are pictured working on crochet squares that will be sewn together into blankets for homeless people and refugees. (Photo courtesy of Catherine Krause)

COLORADO SPRINGS. American Heritage Girls (AHG) is a Christ-centered non-profit organization focused on the mission of building women of integrity through service to God, family, community, and country.

The AHG Program serves girls ages 5-18 and equips adult volunteers to help guide girl leadership. AHG girls across the nation and the globe participate in badge programs, service projects, leadership opportunities, and outdoor experiences, all with an emphasis on Christian values and family involvement.

Each year, AHG Program Year Themes are defined to provide ways for troops to connect with the AHG community across the nation.

The 2023-2024 Program Theme, “WOVEN,” was inspired by Psalm 139:13-15: “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.”

Corpus Christi Parish’s AHG Troop CO-0002 has embraced the WOVEN theme, both to teach skills to the girls and to give back to the community. In September, women from the community came together to teach the girls basic crochet skills.

Throughout this school year, the girls will dedicate service hours to crocheting 4”x4” or 8”x8” squares. These squares will be sewn together into blankets for homeless and refugees in the Colorado Springs area. Troop leaders are excited to see how the girls have embraced the challenge, often showing up to meetings with bags of squares.

The girls of Troop CO-0002 invite members of the Catholic community to join in this effort by donating crochet squares so that as many blankets as possible can be given to the marginalized in Colorado Springs.

For more information, contact Catherine Krause  at catherinekrause@icloud.com.