Jennifer McPhee
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Apr 08/02) - Myrtle Fudge, 66, spends a lot of time knitting.

From her home in Grand Falls-Windsor, Nfld., she knits tiny baby sweaters, bonnets and socks to send North. She won't take any money for her work, she just hopes her garments find good homes.

Fudge started sending the pretty clothes to Nunavut after chatting with Iqaluit school teacher Theresa Lynch, also from Newfoundland.

Lynch told her that some children in Iqaluit come to school with frost-bitten cheeks.

"Her heart just melted," said Lynch. "She's a real angel."

Soon, boxes full of sweaters started arriving in the mail.

"When I got the first box, I was flabbergasted," said Lynch.

"That costs a lot of money and she's on a fixed income. I think it's pretty neat of her."

Lynch started distributing the sweaters to children in Iqaluit. This year, she plans to contact social services and send the sweaters to other communities in the Nunavut.

"Where they will go to good use -- that's what she wants."

Lynch hopes to thank Fudge somehow, although she's not sure how.

"I'm going to get her a carving or something. Someway, somehow, I'm going to bring her something."

As for Fudge, who also gives away sweaters to kids in Newfoundland, she down plays her kindness. She said that, given the cold climate, Northern kids could probably use warm clothes.

"I hope the sweaters go to the ones who need them the most," said Fudge.

"I don't know their country. I don't know anything other than it's cold up there."

She admits she spends countless hours making the pretty sweaters and that wool isn't cheap. But she likes to keep busy and help out at the same time.

"My husband died almost five years ago," she said.

"It's just that you've got to do something. And that's the only thing I know how to do ... You've got to think about the children."