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Nimble-fingered 98 year old still knitting and crocheting for good causes at The Greens of Le Roy

By Virginia Kropf

Marion Kohl, who will be 99 in May, spends hours knitting and crocheting in her room at The Greens of Le Roy. She recently knitted 10 hats for the Little Hats, Big Hearts program in connection with the Children’s Heart Foundation, in addition to knitting and crocheting for Le Roy Rotary’s Graze to Raise auction. Photo by Virginia Kropf.

 

LE ROY – Marion Kohl’s pastime is not what makes her unique, but the fact she will turn 99 in May and is still able to knit and crochet.

“She is amazing at her age to be able to continue to contribute with her talent,” said Kim Pasquale, director of The Greens.

Kohl inherited her talent from her mother and grandmother. She started crocheting as a youngster and learned to knit when her husband Harold was in the military.

She was born in Syracuse grew up in the Catskills. Harold grew up in Henderson Harbor, where her grandparents lived. Her father’s job transferred him to Lowville, and she met Harold in her senior year. They corresponded for seven years while he was in the Service. He served in World War II and the Korean War.

In addition to raising their two children, Kohl was a nurse. The couple moved to the Rochester area in 1965. She came to The Greens in August 2008, after Harold had to enter the nursing home. He died in 2009.

“Marion has made many mittens for people here, as well as baby blankets for residents’ grandchildren,” Pasquale said.

When she heard about the red hats needed for preemies, she got the pattern and some donated yarn and made 10 hats for the Little Hats, Big Hearts program in connection with the Children’s Heart Foundation. She can’t count the sweaters she has made, and she crocheted an afghan for veterans and made baby blankets for the Le Roy Nursery. She also donates her needlework to the Le Roy Rotary’s Graze to Raise auction.

“I knit or crochet every day,” Kohl said. “It’s part of my routine while I’m watching TV.”

Before Harold died, he would read the patterns to her.

Kohl likes to do jigsaw puzzles, and has a computer, but she doesn’t go on the Internet. She just enjoys playing games on it.

She also walks around the facility for exercise and fixes her own lunch in her apartment. She admits to having an occasional drink, but never smoked.

“I’m so grateful my hands and my eyes still let me do the things I love,” Kohl said.

'Gnomes to Knit' class for adults at Richmond library, registration required

By Billie Owens

Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross St., Batavia, is presenting a “Gnomes to Knit!” class on Tuesday, Feb. 20 at 6:30 p.m.

This class is taught by Linda Daviau and is for adults who know how to knit on double-pointed needles. Please bring a set of U.S. #3 double-pointed needles. All other supplies are provided.

Registration is required, and $4 for supplies is due at registration. Samples of the gnomes are on display at the library.

Stop by the front desk to register.  www.batavialibrary.org.

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Knit the Fibonacci Sequence

By Leslie DeLooze

Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross St., Batavia presents “Knit the Fibonacci Sequence,” a class for adults on Tuesday, July 15 at 6:00 p.m.  Linda Daviau will lead this “stash buster” class for knitters who know how to knit and purl.  Learn some applications of the “golden ratio” found in nature, art & architecture to make a scarf.  Registration begins June 30.  Please bring size 8 or 9 needles and two colors of worsted weight yarn. More information is available in the library and at www.batavialibrary.org.

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