TAMMY COAKLEY/THE EXPRESS Bald Eagle United Presbyterian Pastor Susan Champion, right, is shown presenting a twin-sized bed quilt made by Prayer Shawl Ministry needleworkers to Laura Orndorf, Sleep in Heavenly Peace Chapter President. The Prayer Shawl Ministry routinely donates colorful quilts to the Sleep in Heavenly Peace organization in Lock Haven.

MILL HALL — The Prayer Shawl Ministry needleworkers met on Wednesday, Feb. 4, at noon, at the Bald Eagle United Presbyterian Church, 111 Main St., Mill Hall, for their monthly meeting.

The needleworkers had been busy over the last month crocheting and knitting various items for the Prayer Shawl Ministry. These are beautiful creations made from yarn that is supplied to the needleworkers by the PSM each month.

After enjoying a lunch provided by PSM club member, Pat Yost, the items brought in were shown and there are some really beautiful and colorful items.

The ministry would love to find out the name of the person who made such lovely prayer shawls but left them on the porch. There were several prayer shawls that were of various colors that are just beautiful and will certainly help to keep nursing home patients warm and comforted.

They’d also like to personally invite this person to attend their meetings (if possible) if they aren’t already a PSM member. Please provide your name and email address to the membership so they can include you in club correspondence each month. If you are the maker of the prayer shawls, please call the church office at 570-726-4112 and provide your name and email information to Pastor Susan. The ministry thanks you for your contributions to the PSM.

Several thank you notes were shared at the February meeting.

Geisinger in Danville thanked the PSM for the many baby sweaters and hat sets that were received during the annual Knit N’ Run that is held in October in partnership with the Susquehanna Valley Big Twins Motorcycle Club members. SVBTMC members deliver the many items made by the PSM to hospitals ranging from Geisinger in Danville, to Mansfield, to Renovo and all the way to Mount Nittany Medical Center in State College.

Expectations in Williamsport also sent a thank you card expressing their gratitude for the many baby items (blankets, sweaters and hats) that were given to the organization for distribution to their clients/patients.

A thank you was also received from the Gatehouse in Williamsport for the Prayer Shawl Ministry’s donation of several afghans that were presented to their patients who were in their end of life stages.

Several of the PSM needleworkers who presented the hats to the children at both Centre Hall and Robb Elementary schools were in attendance at the meeting and gave a very nice report of the hat distributions at both schools.

Alison Kramer, Brenda Masden, Denise Stevenson and Keri Hensler were delighted to present the hats to the children and the needleworkers were pleasantly surprised at the children’s interest this year in the crocheting and knitting process. The children asked many questions and were very interested in the hobbies that the needleworkers shared with the students.

Denise took along several crochet hooks in all different sizes during their visit to Centre Hall Elementary that drew various comments and questions from the children. The children were thrilled they had a part in the “Annual Hat Project.” Most specifically they were called the “hat designers” and the needleworkers were the “manufacturers” of the hats.

The Prayer Shawl Ministry is not classified as a non-profit organization and is not eligible to receive grants, so the PSM relies on donations of money or new or used yarn to sustain their yarn supply. Donations are always accepted and can be brought to the church during the PSM meetings or by making arrangements with Pastor Susan at the church.

The PSM wants to thank the Susquehanna Valley Big Twins Motorcycle Club for their recent contribution of $250 to buy quilt batting that is used for warmth when the needleworkers make the twin sized bed quilts for Sleep in Heavenly Peace. SIHP is an organization in Lock Haven that provides free beds (and sheets and pillows) to children who do not have their own bed to sleep in.

Pastor Susan emphasized the importance of various organizations all working together for the common good of helping others.

“The circle of giving will just get bigger and better if we all contribute to the efforts of each other’s missions of helping others,” she said.

The Prayer Shawl Ministry will once again support the SVBTMC in their annual Bunny Run that has kicked off recently. This will be the 17th year that the cycle club members have held their Bunny Run collection and distribution of Easter-themed stuffed animals being given to children in hospitals. The Mill Hall United Presbyterian Church serves as a collection point as well as about 15 other locations in the Centre, Clinton and Lycoming County areas.

Folks are encouraged to donate bunnies, chicks, ducks and lambs (“Easter animals”) to the Bunny Run. The stuffed animals must be new and have the tags left on (in case of allergy concerns). The Bunny Run collection runs from now until the end of March (Palm Sunday) when they will be delivered to the hospitals for children there.

On behalf of the SVBT Club, Brenda Masden told the needleworkers the community has been very supportive of the Susquehanna Valley Big Twins members efforts to collect and distribute the stuffed animals during the Bunny Run.

“The club has collected anywhere from 700 to 900 animals each year for the Bunny Run, and the community’s generous support is again requested for this year’s Bunny Run collection,” Masden said.

For more info on the Prayer Shawl Ministry, call the church office at 570-726-4112 and leave a message if Pastor Susan isn’t there to take your call.

For more info on the Susquehanna Valley Big Twins Motorcycle Club call the club house at 570-769-7287.