- November 23, 2024
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by: Maria Elizabeth Frazao Pereira
During the pandemic, the lady members of the Portuguese American Cultural Center from the Convívio dos Lavores decided to use this free time to do something for the benefit of others.
The ladies made 15 afghans, which were handed over to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, which has an organization that collects afghans and distributes them to give comfort to the sick.
This organization is called Lazos de Amor, or Healing Blankets, started about four years ago by John Merced after he was asked by a priest who felt the need to offer small blankets to the sick admitted at the hospitals at Christmas time.
Merced formed a group of volunteer members from the Hispanic American Club of Palm Coast, who began crocheting afghans. To date, Merced has distributed more than 2,000 afghans for ill people. Now the afghans are not distributed only at Christmas time, but throughout the year. Before being distributed, the afghans were blessed at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church during the Spanish Mass and ceremony on Dec. 19, 2021.
Lavores members can continue to crochet because they are now part of the Lazos de Amor, helping people and organizations in the process of physical, spiritual and emotional restitution.
Pictured above: Some of the Ladies of Convívio dos Lavores, bottom row, from left: Maria Elizabeth Frazão Pereira, Elisete Carvalheiro, Jacinta Martins, Dina DeOliveira, Sara Ferreira, Virginia Cambedo, Maria Da Silva, Teresa Goulart, Vina dos Santos, Ester Rodrigues, Arminda Pereira, Gracinda França, Grace Pinto and Julia Silva; top row: Rosa Amaro and Odete Campo
