Mendham High School is home to many clubs and organizations, from FBLA to Fashion Club. Although it’s wonderful to have so many options for students to choose from, some clubs become overlooked or are unknown to students. The Crochet Club is an experimental, new club being offered, led by Leah Wagenbach with Mrs. Brandt as the Advisor.
Leah, a senior, founded the club this year after discovering a passion for crochet through the IB program. She explained, “They needed a “Creativity” and I didn’t have one, so I just reached out to a bunch of places in Mendham and Chester, and just like asked if anyone was interested in teaching me anything. ‘Rows of Purl’ in Chester responded, and they like, volunteered to teach me. So, that’s how I learned.” She might have eventually quit the IB program, but she doesn’t regret the experience. She said, “So even though I quit IB, I really like crocheting. So, that’s a good thing that came out of it.”
When asked about what makes her club unique, she explained, “We’re actually doing something, we’re actually making a difference, we’re actually learning a new skill”. The “making a difference” aspect rings especially true considering Leah’s bigger plans for Crochet Club.
When asked specifically about these plans, Leah stated her intentions. “Yeah, so I think, kind of going into the spring, we’re gonna try—we’re really focusing on stuffed animals and we’re gonna try and continue that, and like donate them to local hospitals. So, hopefully, that happens.” She also discussed her plan to collaborate with Service Club for Project Linus. “So, we’re thinking we could each do a granny square and kind of like, as a collection—like the whole club worked on it.”
These two projects are only some of the many things this club can accomplish if it is given enough time to do so. However, if there are not enough members to continue next year, the impact that Crochet could potentially have will never be felt. When asked about what people should know about Crochet Club, Leah said, “It’s really not that difficult, you don’t need to know it all. Like, we will teach you. Like, most people in this club have never crocheted before and they’re already making stuff.” She is more than willing to teach those who want to learn, as that’s her primary role as the club president. When asked to explain this, she said, “So, I basically just provide materials, like schedule when everything is—we usually meet twice a week—and then, I just kind of like, I’m more of like, a teacher. I just kind of help out everyone at their own pace, and hopefully like—I try and give people personal attention so that they like, can succeed.”
If you’re a student reading this and are at all interested in making a change while learning a new skill, I encourage you to show up to a meeting and try it out. They usually meet every Tuesday and Thursday in the back Library classroom. Who knows, you might surprise yourself!
