Operation Warm Hearts: King-Bruwaert House Resident Rose Ann Hoof Stitches Kindness into Every Creation

HINSDALE/BURR RIDGE, Ill. — As the weather started turning cooler and the days shorter, residents at King-Bruwaert House (K-B House) senior living community were busy putting their creativity to work to help others stay warm. Leading the way was resident Rose Ann Hoof, whose involvement with Operation Warm Hearts combines comfort, compassion, and community spirit in every stitch.

Warming Hands and Hearts

Operation Warm Hearts is a resident-led knitting, crocheting, and sewing group dedicated to bringing warmth to others for the colder months. Rose Ann and her fellow members craft handmade afghans, scarves, slippers, and other cozy items for charitable organizations. For Rose Ann, the group’s mission feels especially meaningful this time of year, when a handmade item can be both practical and deeply comforting.

Operation Warm Hearts, which started at K-B House in 2009, has approximately 16 participants. Most are residents of the senior living community, but guests are welcome. The group meets monthly from spring through the end of October. During those months, they have the opportunity to socialize while knitting or crocheting together. They also bring items for donation, which they’ve been working on since their last gathering.

In October, they held their annual open house, showcasing many of the donated items. The organizations that benefit from their generosity and warmth were on-site for the event and were able to take the items to the recipients. There was also a raffle held, and items for sale. “In addition to the 600+ items that had been crafted, we raised an additional $2100, which goes to the K-B House Nursing Scholarship program, supporting team members and their families pursuing nursing careers,” said Rose Ann.

The organizations receiving items from Operation Warm Hearts are Anne M. Jeans Elementary School in Willowbrook, Pillars Community Health, Constance Morris House, National Association for Down Syndrome (NADS), and the National Children’s Shelter of the Philippines.

The Lorraine Project

Rose Ann’s generosity doesn’t stop there. She also leads the Lorraine Project, another beloved annual tradition at K-B House. Each fall, residents and staff gather for a card-making party to create keepsake cards for fourth graders at Anne M. Jeans Elementary School in Willowbrook. The cards carry personal, encouraging messages that remind students their community is cheering them on as they prepare for middle school. The project continues all year with book drives, teacher appreciation events, and visits between residents and children.

A Passion for Card-Making

When she’s not knitting or sewing, Rose Ann is creating one-of-a-kind greeting cards for fellow residents, the Bistro 33 gift shop, and local veterans. Her handmade cards mark every occasion from birthdays to holidays, and she also teaches card-making workshops for neighbors at K-B House. “I think people like to buy something that’s designed by someone they know,” she says.

Honoring Veterans

Rose Ann’s dedication to service extends to her longtime volunteer work with Honor Flight, the organization that takes World War II, Korean, and Vietnam-era veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit memorials. She helps in the photography department, ensuring each veteran receives a formal portrait, and often creates cards for them as well.

Active and Engaged at K-B House

At K-B House, Rose Ann’s enthusiasm for community shines through in every project she touches. She serves on the welcoming committee, greeting new residents to The Woods at K-B House with genuine warmth. “All my friends are here,” she says. “I love my home.”

Rose Ann’s story is a reminder that kindness, creativity, and connection never go out of season. Through Operation Warm Hearts and her many other endeavors, she continues to make K-B House and the world around her a little brighter, one handmade gift at a time.

King-Bruwaert House

Ideally located in what has been called one of the best places to retire in Illinois by Niche.com, King-Bruwaert House senior living community has been gracing Hinsdale/Burr Ridge since 1933. The beautiful 35-acre campus includes independent living in The Gardens of King-Bruwaert House new luxury apartment homes and The Woods of King-Bruwaert House cottages. As an elegant and dignified Life Plan Community offering all levels of care, the campus also has access to assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing. Less than two miles away in Hinsdale is Godair Park, King-Bruwaert House’s single-story rental duplex homes overlooking Ruth Lake Country Club. For additional information, visit www.KingBruwaert.org or call 630-216-8659. King-Bruwaert House is located at 6101 S. County Line Road in Burr Ridge.