Helene Marcotte proudly looks on at a number of her creations. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Inspiring people

Prince Albert senior helping keep heads and hearts warm this winter

Dec 2, 2021 | 5:00 PM

Helene Marcotte has been making clothes for as long as she can remember.

But now that her nine kids and 35 grandchildren are all grown up, the 90-year-old has focused her attention the past three years on making toques for the city’s less fortunate.

“I knit one and a half a day,” she said proudly, explaining she will start a new one after supper each night and will continue to work on it in between watching the news and checking her Facebook.

All the material costs come out of Marcotte’s own pockets and she points to a bag in the corner of the room containing $80 worth of wool.

“I like to use lots of different colors. I like them mixed and I like them colorful,” she explained.

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Last year Marcotte gave away close to 80 toques, and the year prior she made 100. Explaining how she suffers from Fibromyalgia, making toques had proven to be a good form of physiotherapy.

“By the time I make three or four, my fingers are a lot better,” she said.

Marcotte’s hobby was slowed a bit last year after she contracted COVID-19, and was forced to self-isolate in her apartment for two weeks. Despite her passion for hand delivering her creations to the shelters, she felt it best not to, but her grandson came forward and offered to help.

This would subsequently result in Marcotte’s toques receiving international attention as a picture he posted to social media, caught the attention of a former Prince Albert woman, who runs an orphanage in Mexico. Arrangements were soon after made for the shipment of 30 toques.

“I said I don’t really care who gets them, as long as it’s someone who needs them,” Marcotte said. “I don’t want someone to sell them to someone else because I could do that myself.”

In addition to locations all over Saskatchewan, Marcotte’s toques have also travelled to B.C and even Switzerland where her granddaughter lives. Noting the shelters in Prince Albert have always been very appreciative of her efforts, Marcotte said she just likes the thought of helping people.

“When I go downtown I often notice if someone is wearing a toque and I will see if it’s one of mine,” she said.

(Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell