Since 2014, Assistance League of Bend has been a vendor at the annual Heaven Can Wait 5K walk/run. This event draws hundreds together with a shared mission to raise funds for Sara’s Project, a fund of the St. Charles Foundation. Sara’s Project provides education, early detection, and support services to ease the challenges of breast cancer for people in Central and Eastern Oregon.

This year’s event was held on Sunday, October 5, at the Redmond High School. Assistance League members distributed free handmade knitted hats, rice and lavender heat packs, and “knitted knocker” breast prostheses to cancer patients and survivors. They will also took orders for comfort shawls.

“We’re thrilled to support Heaven Can Wait, our members volunteer hundreds of hours throughout the year knitting and crocheting hats, ‘knockers’ and comfort shawls in support of cancer patients. A cancer diagnosis is devastating, and so many of the women we meet are so upbeat and encouraging. We are honored to participate again this year,” said Carol Hastings, Hats and More Committee Chair.

Since its inception, Assistance League of Bend’s Hats and More program has supplied thousands of hats, “knitted knockers,” and comfort shawls to the infusion centers at St. Charles and Summit Health and participants at the annual Heaven Can Wait event. Assistance League members and community volunteers meet to handcraft each item locally.

For more information contact Renata Beck at programs@assistanceleaguebend.org