Flaco Guapo Media
Story, photos by permission from Conexión San Ángelo
SAN ANGELO – In 2015, Nancy Rink Johnson, coordinator of Little Hearts Big Hats started with a small seed--get as many little red, yarn knitted hats to babies born in the month of February with a few foot-soldier ladies, she calls “Yarn Junkies.” As of this New Year 2019, Johnson and her army of thousands of committed women have but one yearly mission which is get a “Little Hat” to every baby. In the past five years this annual event mushroomed from locally in San Angelo to across the state of Texas!
Brynlee Coates, 3-years-old, didn't make the little red beanies, but she did contribute by helping her Grandma, Linda Coates and Great-aunt, Susie Richters to place them in a cart.
Group photo consists of: Dr. Christina Sherrod, Glenda Kunath, Rexanne Friess, Linda Coates, Susie Richters,
Kathy Hogg, Julie Quade, Deborah Smith, NIta Ware, Betty Robinson, Byrnlee Coates, Nancy Rink Johnson, Elaine Donalds, Cynthia White, Kay Bates, Ellis Boness and Elizabeth Phillips.
On Wednesday, January 30th, the “Little Hats Big Hearts” get-together, with Johnson, her “Yarn Junkies” friends, colleagues from Sonora and Eldorado were with her to meet with Shannon Women's and Children’s Hospital officials to present them with 150 baby beanie hats. Among them were Dr. Christina Sherrod, M.D. and Julie Quade, Unit Manager. Dr. Sherrod is a graduate of South Western in Dallas; she received her training at the University of California in San Francisco for pediatric residency.
Left-to-right: Great-aunt, Susie Richters, Grandmother, Linda Coates and her granddaughter, 3-year-old, Brynlee Coates.
Originally from San Angelo, Johnson was so happy that her dream became a reality by starting with San Angelo to bring the beanie hats to babies here at Shannon Women's and Children's Hospital and also to San Angelo Community Medical Center.
Mrs. Johnson stated to the media on Wednesday morning at 10:30 that she and her group had sent out 2,510 “Little Hats” to hospitals across Texas. Included among them were six hospitals in El Paso, Cook’s Hospital, Brazos Federal prison women, Huntsville, College Station in Bryan which averages about 900 hats on a yearly basis. Johnson stated there are to her knowledge 59 hospitals and continually growing
Johnson was asked what was it like to see her vision grow into something “Big hearted”? “Oh my God, it’s unbelievable!” Johnson is flabbergasted that this Hats-Hearts has taken on a “life of its own” to where she never imagined it would have gotten this big in such a short amount of time.
The “Yarn Junkies” started to knit, crochet or loom, all by hand with one hat at a time for one baby.
Johnson’s big-hearted vision is for every baby in the state of Texas to receive a red, yarn knitted beanie during the month of February. “But is it the women who are making them, not me.” Johnson concluded the interview by saying she is deeply touched by so many women that she may never get to meet who have stepped up along side of her to see this dream become a reality. “They are like friends and sisters to me, I love and appreciate them all.”