Atrium Medical Center volunteer knits 6,000 hats for newborn babies

For Betty Banks, crocheting has been a lifetime pleasure. So when a persistent friend continued to ask her to crochet for newborn babies at the hospital, Banks decided to give it a try.

Twenty-eight years later, Banks has reached a personal goal of creating 6,000 baby hats and 50 afghans for local newborns.

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Banks takes her volunteer work seriously, knowing the families enjoy receiving homemade gifts for their infants.

Once a month, she comes to the volunteer office at Atrium Medical Center to turn in her baby hats as well as pick up a few skeins of yarn for the next batch. Banks has been crocheting for 72 years — since the age of 16 — and said she loves every minute of it.

“I love giving a baby its first bath and hand picking just the right hat,” said Amy Rader, a registered nurse at Atrium Medical Center. “The families love receiving a hat that was made with care by one of our beloved volunteers.”

Banks has volunteered at the hospital for almost 30 years and is one of more than 200 volunteers who work with the hospital.

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If you have an interest in being a volunteer at Atrium Medical Center, call the Volunteer Services Office at 513-974-5201.

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