The Galveston County Daily News

Verna Trammel, 83, crochets lap blankets for the wheelchair-bound, caps for cancer patients and afghans for friends.

She works to make them as colorful as possible, then presents them personally.

“It’s more fun delivering them yourself,” the longtime Hitchcock resident said. “It’s fun just seeing their faces.”

Trammel started crocheting when she was a teenager but has made it into a ministry in her silver years.

“I enjoy just accomplishing something,” she said. “I have to keep busy.”

Trammel still drives and likes to visit folks in nursing homes. She also volunteers at the Sunshine Shop, where sales benefit Hitchcock Family Welfare. Trammel managed the resale shop for 13 years before retiring two years ago.

For her work cheering senior citizens and cancer patients, Trammel has been chosen by The Galveston County Daily News as a 2009 Unsung Hero. She and other Unsung Heroes were honored with a plaque at a reception.

“What I admire about her most is that she has a very giving heart,” said Patricia Henry, who works in private nursing and met Trammel at the Sunshine Shop. “She always has such a loving heart.”

Henry often drives Trammel to nursing homes, watching as a brightly crocheted gift is presented.

“It just brings such a smile to their face,” Henry, who nominated Trammel for the Unsung Hero award, said.

“The smiles and thank-yous bring tears to the eyes and joy to the heart,” she wrote in her nominating letter. “She does this to enlighten someone’s day and bring a smile and happiness to someone, to (let them) know someone cares.”

A native of Wichita Falls, Trammel has made her home in Hitchcock for 60 years now. She enjoys growing flowers in her yard and working with her hands. She has crocheted as many as 300 lap robes a year.

“She doesn’t let anything get her down; she just keeps on going, like the Energizer Bunny,” said Jan Meucci, director of Hitchcock Family Welfare. “She’s a very hard worker.”

Pat Thompson, a longtime friend, agreed. “She doesn’t ever stop,” she said. “She does a lot of things nobody ever knows about, I’ll tell you that. She’s a joy.”

Trammel’s advice to other senior citizens is simple: “Keep moving — that’s the main thing darlin’,” she said. “Keep moving.”

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Details To Note

The Sunshine Shop, 6915 Second St., in Hitchcock, is a thrift store. Proceeds benefit Hitchcock Family Welfare. During the month of April, the shop is hosting a Dollar Bag Sale, in which patrons can buy a $1 paper sack and fill it with items, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, in the new building. Right now, clothing at the shop is free to needy families from Galveston County recovering from the hurricane. The shop also is collecting paper. Call 409-986-5632 for information