Vuokko Liisa is knitting it forward.
The 75-year-old North Van retiree recently donated 10 colourful, hand-knit toques and several neck warmers to North Shore Rescue, a volunteer group that once came to her aid after a trail-skiing accident on Cypress Mountain left her with a broken fibula and ankle in 1989.
One of the young rescuers who arrived that day was Tim Jones, the legendary team leader who passed away in 2014. She recalled that Jones visited her in the hospital afterwards.
“North Shore Rescue has done so much over the years,” she said. “They do so much for other people – and they are volunteers.”
Liisa’s grandmother taught her to knit when she was four. But a busy life spent raising children, having a career and cross-country skiing in the local backcountry didn’t allow her to seriously start knitting until after she retired.
Since then she’s been making up for lost time, making frequent trips to Michaels craft store for more wool. She also knits hats and scarves to give to North Shore homeless shelters and local seniors.
She won’t accept payment for her handmade toques, which take around three hours to complete. She makes around 250 per year. Some people splurge on a coffee, she splurges on wool.
“It’s coming right from my heart, said Liisa.
Each toque she knits is unique and the only pattern she has is stored in her head.
For the rescue hats she decided to use bright coloured yarn “so they can be seen.”
North Shore Rescue team leader Mike Danks was appreciative of the donation – not only the small cash donation she made, but also the considerable effort she took to make the toques and neck warmers for the rescue members. “(They are) something that we all use in the backcountry. A good wool toque can save your life.”
