One of the main projects every year for Mittens for Akkol is to provide a pair of socks for each of the children in two orphanages in Akkol and Urupinka. This year the Mittens for Akkol group met their goal of 422 pairs of socks, but knowing that socks are always needed, Wool-Aid sent 50 pairs of socks to Mittens for Akkol that can be distributed as needed — and we’re certain that they’ll be needed!

Here are 50 pairs of socks lovingly knit by our Wool-Aid members that will soon be warming the feet of children in Kazakhstan:

Wool-Aid was also able to send 67 hat & mitten sets (plus neckwarmers and a headband) to the kids in Kazakhstan, too:

Many thanks to all who contributed these lovely handknits that will help warm children in Akkol and Urupinka in Kazakhstan. This wasn’t an announced campaign, but when Wool-Aid focus items (hats, mittens, socks, vests, sweaters) are received that are not designated for a specific recipient, Wool-Aid is able to send warm, woolen clothing to children who live in places like Kazakhstan, where it can be 40 degrees below zero a good part of the winter and where resources and help are scarce.

Wool-Aid is pleased to have been able to help three communities in Canada this fall through the Warm Hands Network: the Innu in Sheshasuit in northern Labrador, the Cree in northern Ontario, and the Inuit in Nunavut.

We received a request to provide sweaters for young people in Sheshasuit before they headed out on their ice fishing and hunting trips. In addition to 45 sweaters, were able to send 10 vests, 84 hats, 21 pairs of machine washable socks, 12 pairs of mittens, and 6 pairs of neck warmers and/or leg warmers:

We sent additional items to the Cree in northern Ontario, including items from the Baby Shower campaign that are not pictured below. All in all, we sent a total of 68 hats, 19 baby sweaters, 6 baby sweater/hat sets, 1 pair baby socks, 4 vests, and 1 machine washable blanket to the northern Ontario community.

And last, but not least — even though these items were the littlest — are the hats and mittens that were sent to Inuit Daycare Centers in Nunavut. We sent 101 hats and 86 pairs of mittens to the children from Wool-Aid:

Heartfelt thanks to all of you who made these shipments possible, whether through your lovingly knit or crocheted handiwork or your contributions toward the cost to ship them up north. You truly make a difference in the lives of many children.