Brotherly Love: 100-Year-Old Woman Knits Scarves For Strangers
VOORHEES, N.J. (CBS) -- In Voorhees, a retired woman is passing the time by sending some cozy comfort to strangers. She is 100 years old! Her gift of warmth has helped thousands of people, and now she has a thank you from the president.
At age 100, Peachie DiAdamo has earned retirement if she would take it. Daughter Louise Ezzi says she is not slowing down.
"She is dedicated to doing this," Louise said. "This is seven days a week from 11:30 to 4:30 every day."
Every day, knitting scarves. "I enjoy to do this," Peachie said.
For Peachie, whose given name is Catherine, working with needles has been a pastime ever since she immigrated to the U.S. from Italy in 1936.
For decades, she and her husband ran a catering business. He died seven years ago. Her son Joe DiAdamo said knitting helped keep her busy.
"There was a void there," Joe said. "They had so many years together."
"We started having tons and tons of scarves," Louise said. "It was like, now what are we going to do for all these scarves? We decided it would be nice to donate them."
Over the last seven years, family and friends distributed them to homeless shelters, women's shelters, and schools who needed warmth for the needy.
"I enjoy it, to give it away, to all the people that needs it," Peachie said.
How many? "I'm going to say several thousand, because we had bags of scarves, probably four-foot-tall, filled with scarves," Joanne said.
Peachie also sent five scarves to the first family, and got a signed photograph, a birthday card, and a letter from President Obama on White House stationery.
"Dear Catherine," the letter read in part. "It means a lot that you thought of us, and I am pleased to join you and your family in wishing you a happy 100th birthday! For a century, you have been a part of the great American story."
"It was a very, very poignant and touching letter," Joe said.
As long as there's yarn nearby, Peachie has a job to do.