Knittin mittens for a good cause

NEW?GLASGOW?- About this time every year, Avery Fleming drops off about 200 pairs of mittens to the Pictou County Food Bank.
He knits the mittens himself.
In fact, he can often be found in his living room at Abercrombie Point, knitting for hours at a time. "It took me 10 months to do 246 pairs," he says matter-of-factly, "but it's worth it."
Fleming has been knitting since he was a boy. He says his sister, Nina Fleming, taught him how.
After putting his knitting needles down for years, the now 77-year-old picked up the hobby once again after he retired from Michelin in 1991.
"I'd knit things for my kids (and) for my grandchildren," he says.
Fleming began donating mittens to the food bank five years ago. He says he's sometimes asked why he bothers, considering it costs him time and money. "There are a lot of people out there who need something warm on their hands," he says. "And what better place to drop them off than the food bank."
Roger Fleming, (no relation to Avery) the recently retired director of the Food Bank, says Avery's mittens are given to clients. With approximately 500 clients per month, there are plenty of people who could use them, he adds.
Roger says he's always impressed not only with the gesture but with the quality of Avery's work.
"I defy anyone to find a better quality mitt in Pictou County," he says.