WATERBORO — When someone is diagnosed with cancer and one of their courses of treatment is chemotherapy, hair loss often happens.

A warm hat can help take the chill off in the winter, and when the garment is made from colorfully-patterned fleece and sewn by caring hands, well, so much the better.

On Monday night, 13 women from around RSU 57 — the school district that includes Alfred, Limerick, Lyman, Newfield, Shapleigh and Waterboro — armed with some instruction and encouragement, turned out 55 “chemo hats” destined for Maine Medical Center’s Scarborough campus, where people undergo cancer treatment.

The event was part of an annual program of Massabesic Center for Adult Learning, which, among their many other classes, offers an evening class aimed at good works each year. There is no fee to take the class, but people must register in advance. In 2018, attendees sewed dresses for girls in third world countries, said Director Barbara Gauvin.

This year, The Circle of Giving was chosen as the recipient. Linda Davison, who established the nonprofit organization with her husband Ken in 2006, will deliver the hats to the cancer care center.

“We saw the need when he was going through chemotherapy,” said Davison about her deceased husband. At first, the couple would fill bags with tissues, puzzle books, mints, hand sanitize and other small items designed to give comfort during chemotherapy treatment. Later, they made neck gaiters for people like Ken, who because of his cancer and the chemo couldn’t be in the cold.

Ken Davison passed away in 2009, said Linda on Monday, but the Circle of Giving has continued.

Janet Carbone, who began making chemo hats with others in December, brought some patterns and instructions.

“I couldn’t have done this last year,” said Carbone, who lost her daughter Betsy, to cancer on Sept. 1, 2017.

But now, she can, and is happy to help others make hats.

Carbone used to conduct quilting classes at MCAL, she said, and was asked if she would instruct people on how to make chemo hats. But it was December and the class wasn’t until February, so, mindful of the cold weather — and cold heads — she set to work.

A member of the South Waterboro Bible Chapel, Carbone held classes in the church hall on Monday nights and Wednesday mornings, inviting those who sew and those who didn’t, and soon, there were 100 hats to be delivered to the cancer care center in Scarborough.

Then, she started making more at her own kitchen table, and invited others to help.

Inside the classroom at Massabesic East on Monday, sewing machines began to hum as the makers took the patterns they’d cut and began to stitch them together.

“I like to sew,” explained Brenda Hamilton of Waterboro on why she came out for the event. “And it’s a good way to give back and do something that would be good for everybody.”

Diane Rousselle of Saco came with a friend, Kelly Bruce of Shapleigh, to make hats. Each of their lives has been touched by a cancer diagnosis in their family.

Bruce said Monday was only the second time she’d used her sewing machine, but it was something she wanted to do.

Louise Morris of Waterboro took the class with her daughter Christine Duncan, also of Waterboro.

“Usually I make doll clothes for my granddaughters,” said Morris as she bent to her machine. On Monday, mother and daughter made hats together.

Donna Buckley was making a cheerful blue and white hat, with a fringed pompom. It was smaller than the others; Buckley said she was thinking of the children with cancer, who need hats too.

Gauvin said the event was such a success — with 55 hats produced — that there will be another class, from 6 to 9 p.m. on March 21. There has been a donation off fleece so participants only need to bring assorted thread colors and portable sewing — and register by calling 247-2022.

Carbone, during a pause in the action on Monday, thought about the hats and the project to make them.

“It is what I can do to make another person’s journey easier,” said Carbone. “We make them with love.”

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 780-9016 or [email protected].