MONUMENT – A group of women in Monument is working hard to make sure premature babies at UCHealth Memorial Hospital will have a special Christmas gift.
Lois Green’s home is taking on the role of Santa’s workshop, as it has been at least 10 years.
These women are working with the diligence of elves
“I finish them, I put like a bow on them or the little decoration,” said Jane Mallory.
They’re knitting dozens of Christmas hats.
“The Grinch is very popular this year,” Green said as she talked about the different designs.
“There’s a Rudolph and we have a snowman!” Mallory pointed out.
Santa himself will be delivering their pint-sized creations to premature babies at the hospital.
“They are very tiny, they fit in the palm of their parent’s hand at the beginning,” Green explained.
“The nurse told me if you fit a hat for a beanie baby, it will fit a preemie.”
Though gone too soon, Anthony, the grandson of Green’s sister, lives on as the angel who inspired this.
“We do this in his honor, and she sends them from California, some of the hats that she makes,” Green said.
“And luckily, I have some neighbors that will also help.”
While they knit together all these Christmas colors, they’re also weaving some hope and joy into the fabric of the holiday season.
“They can feel like somebody cares,” Mallory said.
“You think of the babies while you’re knitting, you think of the parents and you hope that things work out well and the baby does well so you’re thinking good thoughts while you’re making them,” Green remarked.
“And each time you finish one you think ‘well there’s another little baby that can have a hat.'”
Green has made more than 60 hats so far, exceeding the number of beds for premature babies in the NICU at UCHealth Memorial Hospital. Though the hospital sees more than 700 premature babies each year.
Green will be handing off those hats to hospital staff on Tuesday so parents can pick one out for their baby and have a photo op with Santa this upcoming Saturday.
