READFIELD – The 75 volunteers of the Central Maine Chapter of Chemocaps have donated more than 1,000 chemocaps for cancer survivors and others facing hair loss. The warm, soft caps, handknit or crocheted by volunteers, are donated to 13 Maine chemotherapy clinics, a hair salon and individuals who go to Maranacook Yarns to get them directly.

Chemocaps coordinator Gari Smith-Bayreuther, owner of Maranacook Yarns, said the best way to measure the impact of the volunteers’ work is to hear from the recipients. One patient who received a cap at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Lewiston wrote, “Thank you cancer volunteers for the knitted caps. Last winter I was totally bald, and I wore my cap day and night. Thank you for caring, it is very much appreciated.”

The community service work of the Central Maine Chapter of Chemocaps will continue as long as there are volunteers to make caps. For information on how to join them, visit Maranacook Yarns at 138 South Road, Readfield, call 685-9704, or e-mail [email protected].