Insights & Information

Hats of hope for Christmas

More than three years ago, Carol Purington hit the redo button on life—leaving Hudson Falls, N.Y., and a job there to move to Kernersville for a fresh start.

Economically speaking, the timing couldn’t have been much worse. The banking system had nearly collapsed and the economy was mired in a severe slump when she arrived, making jobs scarce. Living with friends, and without a job, Purington asked God what she needed to do. The reply came quickly: Make hats.

Carol Purington with Dan Parsons and hats for the Winston-Salem Rescue Mission

Purington (left) with Parsons and the hats for the Winston-Salem Rescue Mission, a Triad Baptist-supported ministry

So make hats Purington did in the lull until she joined the night cleaning crew at Triad Baptist—hats like the knitted caps men at the Winston-Salem Rescue Mission will find in the gift bags they’ll get on Christmas Day from Executive Director Dan Parsons. The distribution will be one of Parson’s last before his retirement.

Along with the 120 caps, the bags contain shirts, underwear, socks, shampoo, deodorant, and other toiletries and simple gifts.

“We couldn’t do this ministry without the community and volunteers like Carol (and Terri Crosby, Triad’s financial assistant, who helped knit 21 of the hats for Carol),” Parsons said. “It means a great deal to the men that people genuinely care about them.”

Joyce Bagby, executive assistant at the Winston-Salem Rescue Mission, first learned of and tapped Purington’s talents for the Christmas gifts in 2012. “It’s a true servant’s heart that would inspire someone to do this,” Bagby said.

“The Lord put it on my heart to make these hats for people who need them,” Purington said, recounting a routine that begins early in the morning as part of her prayer and Bible devotion time. She rocks, knits and prays over each stitch and for the person who will wear each hat. “I just use my creativity as I come up with the designs for each one I make.”

She keeps the colors basic and uses the same pattern but adds color bands and other embellishments. It takes her about an hour to make a hat. From a skein of yarn, she can make three hats.

Purington only makes hats if nonprofits give them away. Member Debby Ploch is among those who have donated yarn to her for her hat making which Purington hopes will points lives toward Jesus Christ.

“When the men get these hats, I want them to know that Jesus loves them and see Him,” she said. “It’s not about me but His glory.”

To underscore that message, Purington often includes John 3:16 cards inside caps with a simple message like, “Jesus loves you and so do we.” A friend took 60 small infant hats she made to a Midwestern city and handed them out to expectant mothers on the way to a Planned Parenthood clinic with the same words with the gift, “Jesus loves you and so do we.”

At least two of the mothers canceled their appointments and presumably decided to have their children.

“I want the men who get these hats to realize how much God loves them and how much we love them because, in God’s eyes, we’ve all fallen short,” Purington said. “But for the grace of God, we all could be in the same situation.”

Recently able to move into a place of her own, Purington’s own life is on the upswing, and she’s excited to see what God wants her to do next with her knitting talent and the hats of hope produced.

“Looking back,” Purington said, “I can now see this was part of His plan from the beginning. I thought it was something He gave me to do to pass the time but it was so much more.”

Phase 2 Shot of TBC B&W 17

Join us Sunday at

9:00am Traditional Worship
10:30am Contemporary Worship