HEFC Hero, Lori Gosselin: March 2025

By Lynn Sherwood

Community starts small, with individuals caring and showing concern for their neighbours. It then grows to encompass our whole nation. Our Hero for March, Lori Gosselin, is an example of that spirit of  community. Lori explained that she has always been interested in community building, and has even written a book entitled Sounding the Drum: Community Building in the Digital Age. As part of her commitment to building community, Lori has formed a knitting circle – a group that knits socks, mittens and hats for children, and donates them to families who come to HEFC for emergency food.

In 2020, Lori connected with HEFC Executive Coordinator, Louisa Simms, who told her that hand-knitted items would be very much appreciated by families with young children who come for emergency food. Many of our clients are newcomers, often refugees from Africa and the Middle East, who have no experience of Canadian winter and arrive unprepared for the cold. Children arrive at HEFC with cold hands because they have no mittens. Because of Lori’s kindness, we can now give these little ones hats and mitts, as well as nourishing food. Newcomer families begin to discover that they are included in our community.

HEFC’s hero for March is Lori Gosselin, on the right. Pictured here with Lori are HEFC volunteers, from left to right: Shanis Alend, Marjoline Karenz, and Joanne Richard

So now a knitting circle from an apartment building is supporting newcomers’ adjustment

to Canada and providing warm outerwear for young children while their families are assisted

with emergency food. In this and a thousand other small yet important ways, we participate

in furthering the welfare of all. A caring and supportive community is being created.

If you have unused knitting wool in your "stash" suitable for mittens, donations for Lori’s knitting circle are welcomed this month. Please drop off at the Centre during opening hours.

For the full article, please pick up a copy of Vistas community newspaper, available at local businesses and at the Alta Vista branch of the Ottawa Public Library. It is also available online at https://vistas-news.ca/