Under a warm sun and mild breeze that rustled overhead trees and corn in the nearby field, Erin Reps stood in the cemetery at First Lutheran Church of Norway Lake on July 29 as her mother, Kathy Reps, was buried.
Kathy had cancer. She died when she was just 37 years old.
Two weeks later, 14-year old Erin spent two days with her Girl Scout troop in Brooten sewing snug fleece hats that will be given to patients undergoing treatment for cancer.
Her grandmother -- Kathy's mother -- Gayle Rehn of Willmar, worked side-by-side with Erin to cut and sew the colorful hats that will be given to cancer patients who lose their hair during treatment.
Her mom would've liked the hats and worn them. "Especially if it had a funky print," said Erin with a smile.
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The goal was to make 100 hats in one week to be delivered to hospital cancer units in Willmar, Glenwood, Paynesville and Sauk Centre.
Because of generous community donations, the girls have enough fleece to make 200 hats.
The project, which will help the three members of the Cadette Girl Scouts Troop 20 from Belgrade, Brooten and Elrosa earn their Silver Award, is dedicated to Kathy Reps, who had been the troop co-leader.
While still learning how to cope with the overwhelming grief of losing her mother, Erin said there was no question that she would be at the Red Hen House Retreat Center in Brooten this week to cut and sew hats with her troop.
"I try to think what mom would want me to do," said Erin.
She's certain her mom would not want to her "hold back" but would want her to stay involved with her activities, including Girl Scouts.
After all, her mother had earned her Bronze, Silver and Gold Award as a young Girl Scout growing up in Willmar.
It's like she can feel her mother pulling and tugging her along, said Erin.
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The three girls had been mulling a Silver Award project for some time. It was during the last week of Kathy's life, with her family close by her, that the other two Girl Scouts in the troop --Katie Blume and Tianna Solbreken -- selected the hat project in honor of Kathy.
"They made the right choice," said Erin, a soft-spoken girl whose big brown eyes speak volumes. "It's a real honor to her."
Katie Blume, 15, said she hopes the hats will "make a difference in the community" and give the message that "somebody out there really cares for them."
Katie also knows how cancer can affect a family.
Her mother, Dawn Blume -- the primary leader for the troop -- is a 15-year cancer survivor. Dawn's mother died of cancer and her father and sister are cancer survivors.
Tianna also has family and friends who've been treated for cancer.
Caring for people with cancer "is a passion with these girls," said Dawn Blume.
The troop has a list of 15 local residents with cancer who'll each receive a hat.
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"There are so many in our area," said Lisa Solbreken, Tianna's mother.
Besides showing compassion for those fighting cancer, Dawn Blume said the project is also helping the young girls develop into leaders and caring members of the community.
"I think it's a really good cause," said Erin Reps. "I think mom would've like it."
"She would think it was a wonderful project," said Rehn, pausing from her task of measuring and cutting fabric. "And that Erin is doing this for her mother -- it's pretty neat."
Knowing well the helpless feeling of not being able to "make it (cancer) go away and make it all better," Erin said she hopes the hats will at least provide comfort and give cancer patients "the sense of knowing they were made with love for them by people who care."
Donations for this project, as well as the girl's Gold Award project that will use fleece to make quillows (a combination of a quilt and pillow) for children undergoing major medical treatment, can be sent to PO Box 52, Elrosa, MN 56325.
