The Salvation Army’s “Craft & Chat” Revives Community Bond and Kindness
Major Dena Hepditch was appointed to The Salvation Army in Red Deer, Alta., in August 2020. It was a time of great uncertainty as the COVID-19 pandemic still loomed. After spending the first year unable to see much of the community, Major Hepditch knew that once everything opened up, they would need to do something to help bring people back together.
“Everybody was really starving for fellowship, to just be able to gather, talk and connect.”
“When things started to open and we could have groups meeting again, it seemed like everybody was really starving for fellowship, to just be able to gather, talk and connect,” Major Hepditch said.
As a result, the Community Café was born. Members of the community would start coming in every Wednesday to share some conversation, snacks, drinks, and even play board games.
During the pandemic, Major Hepditch took up knitting. One day she decided to place some knitting and crochet tools for Café guests at one of the tables. Experienced and beginner knitters quickly took an interest, and it led to the creation of a new program called “Craft & Chat”.
“A lot of people then started bringing their own knitting projects. One of our Café members said ‘What if we do an extended craft portion once or twice a month? We could extend it, they come in the morning, and bring their sewing machine, scrapbooking, yarn, etc to work on their projects,’” Major Hepditch added.
Loving the idea, Major Hepditch agreed to incorporate this new addition to the Community Café. While Café meets every Wednesday from 1:30 to 3 p.m., Craft & Chat meets every second and fourth Wednesday of the month from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. They bring along a bagged lunch and stay for the day.
Since Craft & Chat began in February of 2023, members have not only worked on their own projects. They have also worked on projects to help out in the community. Earlier this year, they did a knit-a-thon fundraiser for The Salvation Army Partners In Mission campaign (PMI). They donated the knitted blankets to people in need in their community and the funds to PMI.
“We had fun making blankets and we donated six to the women’s shelter and the family shelter here in town, and others to some of the clients when we give them a new bed,” Major Hepditch shared.
The Craft & Chat program has been such a success that it always has a great turnout. Members love the group so much that they requested for the program to continue throughout the summer.
“The program has allowed us to connect with a few ladies from the community who come to our seniors’ program.”
In September, the group plans to start working on cotton dishcloths and knitting Christmas stockings to put on the Christmas hampers.
Craft & Chat served its original purpose. It has brought a community together after a long period of isolation and uncertainty.
“The program has allowed us to connect with a few ladies from the community who come to our seniors’ program. Some of them have started to attend our church while others have started to get more involved in other programs here,” Major Hepditch said.
By Juan Romero
