Coronavirus kindness: ABC7 viewers donate yarn to Morgan Hill blanket-maker after being inspired by good deeds

ByDustin Dorsey KGO logo

Thursday, July 9, 2020

Inspired ABC7 viewers donate yarn to Morgan Hill blanket-maker

Kate Nelson has received donations of yarn from the Bay Area and beyond after her story appeared on ABC7 News. Nelson buys all the yarn herself to hand-make support blankets and people wanted to help her pay it forward.

MORGAN HILL, Calif. (KGO) -- In our mission to Build a Better Bay Area, we highlight the good deeds happening by those who are trying to help their community.

An act of kindness by one Morgan Hill woman shown in our story has now inspired others to give back.

Despite what's going on in the world around us, acts of kindness are never in short supply.

In June we introduced you to Kate Nelson, a retired teacher in Morgan Hill, who is spending her time in quarantine making support blankets for people who have lost loved ones to COVID-19.

It's a mission that tugged on the heartstrings of our viewers.

"I had never even considered that, because I just keep this to myself," Nelson said. "And then when I saw it on Facebook and all the comments, I was just like, 'wow'."

But it wasn't just kind words.

Viewers from across the Bay Area, and even Fresno, reached out with offers of yarn donations and questions of how they can make blankets of their own to pay it forward.

Nelson never saw it coming.

"I was shocked," Nelson said. "I don't know how I reacted. I didn't scream or anything, but I almost did."

Then one South Bay woman took things to a new level.

She took our story on ABC7 and shared it to get donations for Kate.

"She sent it to all kinds of stores all around the United States and she's had yarn being mailed in," Nelson said. "She brought me four large boxes of yarn. One box was even mailed from Nebraska. That's where I'm from, so that was really special. I've gotten kinds of yarn that I haven't even seen before, but I'll use it and I have been using it."

The woman, Nikki, didn't want to be interviewed on camera, but she told us that she was so inspired by Kate's story, she felt the need to help her with her mission to bring comfort to others.

"I first came across Kate Nelson's article on KGO-TV news," Nikki said. "As I read through the article I just fell in love with what she was doing. It was just so sweet and so giving I knew I had to try and help. I couldn't believe someone would give so much of their time in helping others and making others feel comfortable at a time in their life where they need it the most. I thought to myself that I would love to do something similar but I do not crochet or knit and have never had the patience for it. I also have two children 4 & 12 and don't have a lot of extra time. I thought if I could spend a little time helping Kate out and collecting yarn for her that I could do some good and help her cause. It's the least I could do. Kate is so busy making blankets she shouldn't have to be the one gathering up the yarn. She should be relaxing and crocheting and sending her blankets out to comfort ones in need. I actually enjoy busy work on the computer so after my children went to sleep, I stayed up contacting yarn companies for Kate. So far a total of 35 and counting. So far I managed to secure 4 boxes full of yarn and hope to get more. It was really nice to finally get to meet Kate and talk with her a little when I went to drop off what I had collected. Kate is truly a generous and caring soul on this earth. Her blankets are absolutely beautiful, thick and warm. She uses up yarn in like colors to make blankets into works of art. They are made with a great attention to detail and lots of love from her heart. She is truly selfless. If you have any extra yarn laying around Kate would love to use it. It's kinda neat to think about how many different yarns are in each blanket, where they all came from and how many people cared along the way to make that one blanket possible. Thank you Kate!"

Taking a good deed and paying it forward.

"I appreciate the help and the love that they've given me," Nelson said. "It's been really quite a boost. It encourages me to keep getting them done as fast as I can and start another one."

If you want to help with the cause, please email dustin.w.dorsey@abc.com to get in contact with Kate.

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