Joyce Reid started knitting the jumpers when she first heard of the flood disaster that had impacted so many of Rochester’s residents.
And earlier this week she made a presentation of 20 jumpers to Rochester Flood Recovery co-ordinator Tanya McDermott, who has been working with Rochester Community House to assist flood victims in their recovery.
Warramunda Aged-Care’s activities co-ordinator Joy Orr said Joyce had swung into action as soon as she was told about the floods by her daughter.
“She has been knitting the jumpers since October last year,” Ms Orr said.
Joyce and her daughter had discussed the fact the Rochester community needed clothing and donations and the jumper concept was borne.
But Joyce would not have been able to work any of her magic without generous donations of the community.
“There are a lot of people in Kyabram who donate wool to Warramunda. That is how this has happened,” Ms Orr said.
Knitting is nothing new for Joyce, she is quite a popular member of the Warramunda community (particularly in winter) when her knitting products are as common place as warm dinners.
Her handywork is also a constant source of fundraising income for the facility, with wool donated by the community to allow a constant flow of Joyce’s creations to be offered up to visitors and the wider community.
But, on this occasion, she decided she would knit specifically for the flood recovery.
“She can knit a jumper in four of five days,” Ms Orr said.
While committed to the cause she had been no means tied to her knitting needles, still never absent from a bingo event and involved in most of the other activities at Warramunda.
The octogenarian has been at the aged-care facility since just before Christmas 2016, originally from Bendigo, but having lived in the Goulburn Valley region for the past 60 years before coming to Warramunda.
She said sewing up the jumpers took up the majority of her time, especially if the jumpers had striped patterns and she had to match up the stripes.
Joyce is part of a talented, and enthusiastic, knitting community at the aged-care home and works alongside the likes of Nancy Elborough and Topsy Motton who regularly have woollen products coming off their “assembly line”.
“Nancy is a big knitter and also, along with Bill Raglus, our top football tipster. Topsy Motton is renowned for knitting little knee rugs for all our staff,” Ms Orr said.
The 20-plus Joyce Reid original jumpers are for children from two years to five years of age and are all different. She uses all the donated wool, which arrives in a variety of lengths and colours, and rarely wastes much material.
“They are all quite spectacular. Each jumper she does is totally different,” Ms Orr said.
Ms McDermott’s arrival at Warramunda, to receive the donation, was timely as Joyce was starting to get a little concerned because the weather had turned so cold.