RUMFORD — Rejeanne Laverdure has made more than 20 crocheted covers to donate to Rumford Hospital’s Comfort Covers program.
The program gives every Rumford Hospital patient a lap robe, or a comfort cover.

Comfort Covers are the brainchild of hospital Accountant Charlene Cooper and Birthing Center Nurse Manager Joette Carlton, who are both fond of needlework. Comfort Covers are crocheted, knit, fleece or quilted and help patients feel not only warm but also cared for. Each cover carries a tag urging a patient to take the cover home with them.

Initially, the Caring Stitchers, as the group led by Cooper and Carlton calls itself, were all hospital employees who met every other week to knit and crochet and exchange patterns. They also taught volunteers to knit and crochet. Now the group has expanded to welcome members from the community, some of whom meet with the group and some of whom do their stitching on their own.

The group has also added meetings on the Mondays when they don’t knit and crochet to devote themselves to quilting. Anyone interested in joining the Caring Stitchers should call Cooper at 369-1038 for information about preferred sizes and meeting times.