Crafting Connections & Community Impact

Crochet Club

If you have ever wanted to learn how to crochet or want an opportunity to crochet with others, you should join Baylee Lemm’s newly established crochet club. Anyone is welcome to join them in the library on Wednesdays after school. Lemm started the club for a project in her Leadership class where she was required to dedicate 20% of her time to something that could better the school community. She thought there weren’t enough clubs at the school and figured since she crochets often, she would start a club where people could learn how. 

At their first meeting, with the help of the Polson High School’s art teacher Kourtney Zeigler, she had those who showed up sit in a circle so they could teach them the basics of crochet, such as how to do a chain and single crochet. “With practice, they were able to get the hang of it,” Lemm said. After she was done instructing them, beginners could focus on something they wanted to improve on, while those who already knew how to crochet could pursue a project of their choice. Since the school provides materials such as hooks, yarn, and other materials they need, no member is required to bring their own supplies. 

Member Alexa Kinaman unintentionally joined the club. She said, “It was an accident because I originally came to the library to work on homework, but then I saw Baylee Lemm with all the crochet stuff and thought that it looked cool, so I went over and joined.” Although she had no clue how to crochet, by the end of the first meeting she had already learned how to do a chain and single crochet. More recently, she started learning how to do double crochet. When she gets the techniques down, she plans to crochet a bandana or some sort of hat. In addition to learning new things, she said Lemm and Zeigler show projects they have done or give updates on their progress. Kinaman said she would encourage people to join because, “It’s a fun experience, especially if you have never done anything like it before.” She also mentioned that it’s a hobby one can have for a very long time. 

Lemm eventually plans for the club to do a granny-square project, where each member will crochet a bunch of squares and then sew them together to make a large blanket that they would then donate. Lemm invites anyone who wants a new hobby to come to the next meeting.

Rotary Interact

 The local Polson Rotary Club, a non-profit organization that does things such as fundraisers for youth-related projects, or teaming up with international initiatives, now sponsors a Rotary Interact club at Polson High School. The club was started this school year by senior Ianna Young and is sponsored by the Polson Rotary Club. It is a student-led organization whose main goals include helping the community and inspiring kids to learn about international problems and international experiences, such as studying abroad. Young hopes she can get some of the members in the club interested in international opportunities. She chartered this club for her Pirate Pursuits, a newly added requirement for seniors to graduate. However, her primary interest in starting the club was because of time she spent studying abroad in Brazil. The school she was attending had a Rotary Interact Club, and she admired the welcoming community and good people and wanted something like that for Polson. She said, “I hoped to create a club where everybody could be friends with one another and enjoy helping (volunteering).”

Her main goal is to set the club up to continue after she graduates. The members have already elected their vice president, secretary, and treasurer. Young thinks that their current vice president Edgar Vejez-Pete would be a good choice for president next school year as he has gained experience from his current position. Since electing their officers, they have volunteered at the Elks Lodge to help them with preparation for their annual Thanksgiving feast. For their next project, Young thinks they might bake cookies for the local rehabilitation center above the hospital. She said for anyone who is interested in joining the club, it is a good experience to learn more about other communities outside of Polson and a place to make an impact of your own.