By Tessa Belcher
Northeast News
June 15, 2011

This year Kansas City Missouri School District (KCMSD) is trying something new – helping out their students with Scarves for Scholars.

“So many students are underprivileged. If our kids are warm, they can get to school,” KCMSD Office Manager Susan Lanning said.

Scarves for Scholars is an opportunity for school district employees and the community to help students stay warm this fall by donating scarves, gloves, hats and other accessories. A number of volunteers are knitting, crocheting and looming the items by hand.

Asked how the idea for Scarves for Scholars came about, Lanning said, “We were feeling that stuck-in-the-same-old-routine rut. So we began tossing around ideas on how we could get our employees involved in some fun. I crochet and I knew a few people who do also and others who knit.

“I spoke with several people in this building and they were very interested in forming a group of crocheters and knitters. We all thought this was a perfect way to do something to benefit our kids and enjoy one another’s company.”

Scarves for Scholars meets once a week on Tuesdays from noon to 1:30 p.m. to prepare these items for this coming fall.

Volunteers are welcome to come help out and can contact Susan Lanning at slanning@kcmsd.net.

Scarves for Scholars will release their items in the fall at the same time as Coats for Kids (an event KCMSD benefited from last year providing coats for students) and will continue taking donations throughout the year.

At last count, Lanning said she had 145 hats and about 54 sets, but many more have been made and donated since then.

She is also accepting donations of hats, scarves and gloves that are new and yarn and any other supplies to loom, crochet and knit. These items should be sent to the care of Susan Lanning; 1211 McGee Street, Kansas City, Mo, 64106.

Lanning said she looks forward to starting other groups to create these items for the students throughout the district and hopes to start doing so this coming school year.

While working on her scarf and hat, Mary Spencer, KCMSD senior media relations specialist said, “These are the real items missing, always.”