Yarn store knits sock monkeys for children's home

Camas Creek Yarn is once again knitting sock monkeys for Intermountain’s Providence Youth Home.

Intermountain is private nonprofit organization that has spent more than 100 years working to improve the lives of children in Montana and beyond. In 2008, Intermountain opened Providence Home, its first service in the Flathead Valley. Providence Home is the first and only crisis shelter in Northwest Montana for young children. 

Children come to Providence Home after being removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect. They usually arrive with nothing more than the clothes on their back, and often those are tattered, don't fit or are inappropriate for the season.

Toys or personal items for the children are either purchased by the home or donated by individuals — that's where the monkeys come in.

These sock monkeys will not only help raise money for the home at auction, but will then be given to children staying at the home as a comfort toy. Children will snuggle and play with their monkeys while they reside at Providence Home, and they'll take these monkeys with them when they move out and begin their lives anew.

Last year, volunteers knit 35 sock monkeys for Intermountain’s Calling All Angels fundraising gala and auction. The monkeys were auctioned to raise money for the nonprofit group, and then the toys were given to children at the youth home.

This year, Camas Creek hopes to have 40 monkeys in the auction. Knitters who haven’t already done so should stop by the store to check out a kit, which includes the pattern and yarn to make one monkey.

Monkeys need to be returned to the store by Nov. 28. Camas Creek will host a wine and cheese party from 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 29, during which all monkey makers may come in and needle felt a face on their monkeys.

The store will donate wool and felting needles. Needle felting the faces makes the washable sock monkeys safe for children of any age.

The auction preview is Dec. 7, and the auction and gala are scheduled for Dec. 8.

For more information about the sock monkey project, stop by the store at 338 Main St., Kalispell, or call 755-9276.