Cheerful campaign in Highland Falls, Ft. Montgomery
When your worries become severe,
Pull me out, draw me near,
I will be there … so have no fear,
Your Worry Worm will bring you cheer!
Quite a few Highland Falls and Fort Montgomery residents came home from work or school last Wednesday and found a sandwich baggie with a colorful crocheted worm and the poem above inside it, tucked into their door or mailbox. It was an interesting discovery to make!
But then, the story became clear. It was simply a quick little mission of cheer embarked upon by a couple of local ladies.
Highland Falls’ Kathy Jones is a crochet expert who can typically be found making large items, like afghans or hat and scarf sets.
In her spare time recently she has become involved in a local support group for special needs families, created by Highland Falls’ Jennifer Gargiulo. So, that’s been on her mind, and one day recently she stumbled across a pattern for something called a Worry Worm.
“I decided to make these for the kids involved in the group,” she said this week. “The idea of a Worry Worm is to allow a child to talk to their worm when they are worried or sad. It is used as a coping tool in many children’s therapies. It is also a good sensory toy for special needs children.”
So she made some.
And then, she and Gargiulo, known well in the community for her work in inclusivity and help for special needs families, decided to take the project a little further.
“We decided one day last week to place them in random places around the community, like the library, and some front porches,” Jones said.
They were a hit, with quite a few social media posts later in the day popping up, all expressing the moment of joy when a child — or even an adult — found the brightly colored toy.
The two got their own joy in reading the happy feedback. So, they’ve decided to take it a step further, and give some to the principals of the Fort Montgomery Elementary School and Highland Falls Intermediate School to use as they see fit.
“We are learning that even some adults that may be going through a rough time are enjoying these as well,” they said, “so more may pop up around town.”
Gargiulo called it a simple “random act of kindness” and urged community residents to “look high and look low…when you find your new friend your worry will go! “
Those who are interested in obtaining some of the worms to share can reach out to Jones via Facebook (@kathyrobertsjones). The two are hoping to sell them to raise some money for a ‘wish fund’ for a local special needs child in the community next Christmas.
The Families with Special Needs Support Group starts back up Saturday, 1/15@1:30-2:30 p.m., at the Highland Falls Intermediate School. The group is looking for student volunteers and folks who can offer a craft, sewing, music, dance, art, cooking class, monthly on the day of the group,” Gargiulo said. “We are also looking to start a gardening, peer mentoring and hiking club this year.”
Gargiulo can also be messaged via Facebook.
