Two friends knit scarves for the 'Giving Rail'
<p>Coeur d'Alene resident Andy Howerton and a friend placed 16 hand-knitted infinity scarves on a railing at the NIC beach for anyone to take. "Be warm, be happy and share kindness wherever you can," reads the note with the scarf pictured here.</p>
<p>Two bags filled with handmade infinity scarves hang from the "Giving Rail" near the NIC Beach on Tuesday. Two friends made several scarves and left them for those who need them as a way to encourage others to promote random acts of kindness while warming the hearts - and necks - of strangers.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE — If you walked or drove by the North Idaho College beach this week, you may have thought to yourself, "What are those bags dangling from the railing?"
Two kind-hearted locals filled 16 bags with hand-knitted infinity scarves — and lots of love — and placed them on the railing leading to the beach so people would stay warm on their chilly mid-January excursions. The bags also included positive notes for those who opened them.
"This is the second scarf I have ever knitted!" read a note in one of the bags. "I hope it keeps you warm. I made it with my hands and all the love in the universe! I hope it warms your body and your heart!"
The scarves also represent a random act of kindness that knitter Andy Howerton hopes gets passed along. He has only been knitting about a month, but this is the second time he and a friend have done this. He said they placed scarves on the same railing, which he refers to as "the Giving Rail," around Christmas.
"I'm hoping it catches on," said Howerton, of Coeur d'Alene. "I'm a recovering alcoholic and addict, so I've been in that position. I've been homeless and I didn't have much.
"It's my way of giving back because I took for so long. I'm just hoping that other people will be encouraged to give a little, too."
Howerton said his partner in the process wishes to remain anonymous, but he wanted to give her credit because she has a big heart and made many of the scarves.
"She's pretty handy," Howerton said. "She's just a great person."
Howerton said people can expect to see "Giving Rail" gifts in the future, including more hand-knitted creations such as hats.
"We have to take care of our fellow man. It's easy to be a jerk, it's harder to be nice," Howerton said. "It shouldn’t matter. We should be nice to everybody, from the mayor to the homeless guy standing in front of Walmart."