Volunteers’ Quilts Keep Catholic Healthcare Residents Warm

The residents of Catholic Healthcare - George Mockler House received an exciting surprise this weekend, when volunteer Dale Snell kindly gifted her handmade quilts to those residing at the home.

Joined by her son, Corey Snell and Dale’s grandsons, she greeted the residents with quilts of all colours and sizes – much to their joy and astonishment.

The residents of George Mockler are a significant group in Mona Vale’s underprivileged community, with 68.9% residents in the home considered concessional. Many of the residents don’t have family living nearby, which made Dale’s gesture even more meaningful.

The family journeyed together to the Mona Vale home to greet George Mocker’s 28 residents with Dale’s handiwork – a tradition she has been continuing for several years, and has increased frequency with since her retirement.

Dale began using her skills as an avid knitter for a greater cause several years ago, with her help of her knitting group. Since having more time in her now retired lifestyle, she pursued the opportunity to share her creations with the less privileged.

Her son, Corey Snell, Catholic Healthcare’s Chief Information Officer, suggested Dale share her homemade quilts with residents in some of the organisation’s aged care homes, where many of the residents are also underprivileged.  

Since the suggestion, Dale has visited several of Catholic Healthcare’s aged care homes, sharing the warmth and kindness embedded in the stitching of her quilts to hundreds of residents.

Dale and her knitting group’s quilts have travelled all over the world – including underdeveloped countries like Africa where the blankets have been used to clothe newborn babies, commonly known as “fish and chip babies” due to the norm of newborns being wrapped in newspaper rather than blankets.

Volunteering has become a significant part of Dale’s life – something she and her family often look forward to spending their time on.

“I really see the impact it has on the community,” she says, “It’s great to give back.”

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