Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

CRAFTING FOR CRITTERS

Kamloops crafters help Australian animals with a variety of items

Jan 20, 2020 | 5:24 PM

KAMLOOPS — For weeks, we’ve been flooded with images and videos of the devastating Australian wildfires that have been ravaging vast swaths of the countryside down under.

It’s now estimated that millions of animals have been killed or injured and displaced as a result of those fires. Here in Canada and across the world, that news has helped spur on an unprecedented response from the crafting community.

It’s hard to watch many of the videos coming out of Australia. Images of koalas and kangaroos, badly burned and dehydrated, getting much-needed water from firefighters. Vast areas of eucalyptus forest scorched. For many Canadians, it’s elicited an emotional response.

“I wanted to do something. I felt compelled to do something,” said Debbie Anderson, choking back tears. “It’s been quite a journey.”

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Anderson was one of several crafters who sewed or crocheted items, like pouches, nests or bags. The pieces are all designed to help animal rescue organizations in Australia deal with the thousands of injured and orphaned animals as a result of the catastrophic wildfires that the country has experienced.

“This is a hanging day bag. It’s got koalas on it — it’s for a joey, but I don’t think the joey will mind,” Patricia Garnham, who delivered a number items she and her friends had sewn, described.

“I made the larger pouches for wallabies, and little joeys and possums,” Val Brechin explained. “I [also] made the linings to go in them.”

“We have pouches, nests, wallaby bags — pretty much one of everything,” Julia Tengum said. Julia did most of the sewing, but the rest of her family helped out, too. She, along with her husband Kristian, son Erik, and daughter Lexi all came together to drop off the items they had made.

“We all thought we have to help them,” Erik said. “It’s just the right thing to do. It’s what we need to do.”

Stella Meloche took on the task of collecting the items before they’re shipped to Australia. The effort has been coordinated through a Facebook group — the Canadian Animal Rescue Craft Guild — where people have been sharing patterns and information to help.

“When you go and see those pictures of the animals and the devastation, you want to do something,” Meloche told CFJC Today. “You feel frustrated it happens, and it so hurtful.”

The Facebook group’s ranks have swelled to over 11,000 members in a very short time. Locally, there were more than 600 items crafted and delivered for shipping, which Air Canada has graciously offered to handle.

“They agreed to take big shipments from six Canadian cities, Vancouver being one of them,” Meloche said. “[Air Canada] is taking them to Australia and will distribute them there.”

The Guild has asked all crafters to stop crafting, so they can take stock of the items they need to send. The shipment bound for Australia will leave Vancouver on January 27th — the day after Australia Day.