SACU employees and their family members are demonstrating their hearts and their skills in knitting and crocheting scarves to be distributed to Special Olympics athletes who will compete in 2012. The nation-wide program is called 2012 Scarves for Special Olympics.

Approximately 30 individuals signed on to design and create colorful scarves that had to meet certain dimension and materials criteria, including the color scheme of navy blue and red chosen for 2012 by the national organization.

"We are part of the Special Olympics Texas contingent," Maureen Schneiderheinz said. "Texas has a goal of making around 3,000 scarves, and our team has created almost 80." SACU employees became involved because Schneiderheinz' twin daughters, knitters themselves, heard about the program and spread the word to their mother's work associates.

"This is the first year we have participated in the project," Schneiderheinz says. "Several of our crafters had to get a quick tutorial on knitting or crocheting from a friend, because they had never done handwork like this before. And, we've found some really talented craftspeople among our group - they've designed some amazing scarves. Not only is it a fun, social activity, it's gratifying to think that these scarves, made with love, will keep our Special Olympic athletes warm when they compete during 2012."