Unique gift helps raise funds for Houlton Community Arts Center

HOULTON, Maine — She says it only took 11 days to complete the afghan that’s being raffled off to help raise money for the Houlton Community Arts Center, but it’s obviously an intense labor of love.
    Josephine “Jo” Holmes, said she wanted to help raise money for the arts center and came up with an idea “out of the clear blue sky. Why not make an Irish knit afghan? People like them because of all the intricate stitches.”
Holmes, who knits and crochets, says she picked a pattern she liked and it only took such a short amount of time because she was so excited about being able to support the arts center in a personal way.
After talking it over and clearing it with Joe Fagnant, president of the arts council, Holmes went to work on her idea and created a large ivory-color afghan knit with washable acrylic yarn.
After she and Carol Horner put their heads together to help publicize the raffle of the afghan, Horner suggested that they put it in the display window for Carol’s Country Yarns at 61 Main Street in downtown Houlton.  “People walk and drive by, it’s the perfect place,” says Horner.
“Raffles are going really well. People recognize that it’s a beautiful afghan and they’re pleased the proceeds are going to a good cause. Of course they want to win,” Horner adds. Raffle tickets are $1 each or $5 for six tickets.
The afghan has been shown to the public lately at the band concerts in Monument Park and the lucky winner will find out who he or she is sometime during Potato Feast Days.
Fagnant, also director of McGill’s Community Band and chair of the Houlton High School Music Department said: “It’s wonderful to have a local crafter donate her time and talent to this project so that money can be raised in a unique way.”