GB Presbyterian women honor Ethel Betts on her 100th birthday

Submitted Photo The Gulf Breeze Presbyterian Church honored long-time Gulf Breeze resident Ethel Betts on her 100th birthday with a celebration. Pastor Jerry Blacklaw performed and church members, family and friends celebrated with her. Above, she is presented with a Project Warmth afghan from Presbyterian Women representative Kay Craven.

Mrs. Ethel Betts was honored recently by the Gulf Breeze Presbyterian Women. The women presented her with the very first Project Warmth afghan made by the Sunday School Circle.

Project Warmth is a nationwide movement encouraging individuals and groups to learn to knit or crochet afghan squares, which are pieced together to make warm gifts of love. The Gulf Breeze circle chose to give Mrs. Betts the first afghan because she has spent most of her one-hundred years serving her church and giving to others.

Mrs. Betts, who is reported to have crocheted over 200 lap robes for veterans, lost her house and all of her possessions to Hurricane Ivan. She now lives with her daughter and family in Gulf Breeze.

Although Project Warmth is national in scope, it encourages groups to look within their own community for afghan recipients. The women at Gulf Breeze Presbyterian, some of whom have never knitted or crocheted before, have already completed a second afghan and are thinking about the second recipient. Due to typically mild Florida weather, they might send it north to a native American mission, or perhaps to a homeless shelter as a warm message of friendship and love.