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Pom Poms wanted for Collingwood Library art installation

Put your pandemic crafting urges toward a community project that's sure to be all that and a ball of yarn
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Katelyn Bernath is the teen services and outreach coordinator for the Collingwood Public Library, and is organizing The Pom Pom Project.

This winter, Collingwood residents are invited to contribute a specific craft toward a future art installation. 

Collingwood Public Library wants lots and lots of pom poms. 

Katelyn Bernath, the Collingwood Public Library’s coordinator for teen services and outreach, started an initiative called The Pom Pom Project because she was looking for a way to help high school students achieve the 40 community service hours required for their diplomas.  

Her idea was to have teens make pom poms using a kit and instructions supplied by the library. The activity could be done at home and the pom poms delivered to the library. 

But after posting the idea to social media, Bernath had families and seniors reaching for their own ball of yarn. 

Bernath rolled her idea into a larger community art installation. 

Later this year, staff will work with local artists to turn the pom poms into an exhibit in the library gallery, once it’s safe for people to visit again. 

The scale and design will string together whatever shape and size pom poms the library receives. 

“It’s going to be totally dependent on what the community brings back to us,” said Bernath.  “At the end, we’ll be able to have an art piece to represent all the time we spent away from each other, but we’re still able to create something together.” 

The library has pom pom kits available for anyone interested. The kits include a ball of yarn and instructions on making pom poms. Bernath said she’s given out at least 42 kits to date. 

High school students can still use the project toward their required volunteer hours.

The library has extra supplies available as well, and would welcome donations of yarn suited to making pom poms. 

Donations can be left in the book return or you can contact Bernath to arrange a drop-off. If you would like a kit, you can email Bernath or call the library. 

You can reach Bernath at [email protected], or by phone at 705-445-1571, ext. 6233.

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Erika Engel

About the Author: Erika Engel

Erika regularly covers all things news in Collingwood as a reporter and editor. She has 15 years of experience as a local journalist
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