Students and staff at École Desrochers turned down the thermostat and put on a sweater on Feb. 17 to celebrate National Sweater Day. 

The chilly school was a hive of activity, as local seniors stopped by to teach the kids how to knit. Boys and girls of all ages from Grade 1 and up tried out the craft, and helped each other out with their stitches. 

National Sweater Day is hosted by the World Wildlife Fund, and seeks to raise awareness of simple things people can do to reduce their energy consumption. Participants across Canada turned down the thermostat by at least two degrees, and put on a sweater. The staff at École Desrochers pulled out their furriest, warmest sweaters for the day.

The knitting was supposed to last only a couple hours in the morning, but the students got so into the craft, that they kept on stitching until lunchtime. The resulting pieces will contribute to a blanket that will be displayed at the library reading corner.

The event was co-organized by Ursula Winkler and Lydia Stanko.

The Habitat for the Arts is offering a knitting workshop on Feb. 26.