What is a Chapter Leader?
Our Chapter Leaders operate as local Magic Yarn representatives for one city or metro area. CLs go through an extensive training process to be able to host workshops, train volunteers, solicit donations, manage inventory, run quality control and packaging, personally deliver wigs to local children and hospitals, and represent Magic Yarn to the media. Each CL is a long-term volunteer with Magic Yarn who “came up through the ranks” as a trained and approved crafter first. Most CLs have years of experience making beautiful wigs and beanies before applying to run their chapter.

What if I don’t have a local Chapter to get involved with?
You are not alone! Most of our volunteer base supports one of our two shipping locations remotely, submitting their donations by mail. Please use the “Volunteer” menu above to find out how you can help.

⭐ Arizona

Cherryl McDougall
Making Magic for Phoenix, AZ

📧 Cherryl.McDougall@themagicyarnproject.com

Cherryl learned about the Magic Yarn Project in 2019 when she came across a story about a local woman who was making wigs for little cancer warriors and loved the whole idea about helping these children forget about their illness…. even if just for a magic moment. In addition to becoming an approved Magic Maker, she was active in supporting Regional MYP activities and communications. In 2022, the local Chapter Leader role became vacant and Cherryl happily stepped in.

“Since engaging with the Magic Yarn Project, it’s been an amazing period of learning, doing, and giving. An additional personal benefit for me has been connecting with a wonderful group of like-minded women from whom I’ve learned so much. I know that I still have much to learn, but I feel like I’m well on the way to helping this organization continue to make a difference in the lives of so many sweet children.”

⭐ California

Lanie Koziel
Making Magic for Pismo Beach, CA

📧 Lanie.Koziel@themagicyarnproject.com

Lanie learned about the Magic Yarn Project in early 2019. She was invited to a workshop and enjoyed making a wig and learning about the organization. She made a point to go to all the local workshops she could and simply loved every minute of it! She made about ten or so wigs and then the pandemic happened. She still wanted to help and knew there was a need. Katie Powell, our West Chief Operating Officer, would put together projects for Lanie to pickup and drop off once completed. It felt amazing to still be able to do something important when the world was shut down.  Soon, she started to help with a few workshops and was able to see how sharing and teaching was spreading the incredible mission even further.

When Lanie isn’t making character wigs or teaching others, she is taking care of her family, shopping, and taking sunset pictures. She has been married almost 30 years and has a 24 year old daughter and 17 year old twin sons who have all helped cut lots of yarn, make wigs, and decorate envelopes for the project.

Chris Graham
Making Magic for West LA (Ventura County), CA

📧 ChrisG@themagicyarnproject.com

Chris and her team of Magic Makers began making wigs in April of 2017 and started hospital deliveries in August of that year. Two Ventura County non-profits have adopted the Magic Yarn Project with volunteer and financial support. Our chapter is now supporting 6 hospitals, a Ronald McDonald House, 2 cancer family support organizations, and whatever regional requests come our way. Being able to interact with the cancer children while distributing wigs is so heartwarming and is what makes this even more special. Seeing smiles on the faces of little cancer fighters keeps us going!

Chris does not crochet and is lucky to have Mickey, who co-chairs this chapter and can quickly whip up tiaras, snowflakes, or beanies. While Mickey oversees other crocheters, Chris coordinates workshops, fundraising, fulfilling hospital orders, and maintains inventory.

⭐ Canada

Sue Beringer
Making Magic for London, Ontario, Canada

📧 SueBeringer@themagicyarnproject.com

Sue first heard about the Magic Yarn Project when she read an article on CNN.  A few weeks later, she was crocheting beanies.  In January 2020, Sue became the first Chapter Leader in Canada.  Sue is currently supplying wigs to Toronto Sick Kids and Mississauga Credit Valley Hospital.  Sue truly enjoys volunteering for this charity.

⭐ Colorado

Amy Droste
Making Magic for Westminster, CO (Denver area)

📧 AmyDroste@themagicyarnproject.com

Amy has been crocheting and making wigs for The Magic Yarn Project since summer 2018 and has been hooked ever since.  She enjoys making beanies and accessories while traveling and sitting watching television with her husband, and then assembling everything together in her spare time knowing that each wig/beanie will bring a smile to a child.   Amy is a substitute teacher, mother of two grown boys, loves spending time with family and friends, and enjoys being outdoors as much as possible.

⭐ Maryland

Brittany Harrison
Making Magic for Sykesville, MD (Baltimore area)

📧 BrittanyH@themagicyarnproject.com

Brittany has been involved with The Magic Yarn Project since late 2016 when she was looking for a charity to crochet for. She now heads up the Baltimore, MD chapter and supports a half dozen local hospitals and charities, distributing hundreds of wigs and beanies each year with the help of her small (but very dedicated) team of Magic Makers. She is a homeschooling mom of 5 kids and is always looking for more local Magic Makers to join in any capacity.

⭐ Michigan

Amy Wildman
Making Magic for Grand Rapids, MI

📧 AmyW@themagicyarnproject.com

Amy has been a part of The Magic Yarn Project since 2018 when a friend sent her a video saying “you need to be part of this!”  She became a Chapter Leader in 2019, servicing hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses in the Michigan area.  Amy has been married to her husband Kevin for 23 years and they have 3 adult children.  In her spare time she loves to crochet, which she learned to do from her grandmother at a very young age.

⭐ Minnesota

Brenda Nelson
Making Magic for Rochester, MN

📧 BrendaN@themagicyarnproject.com

Brenda has been a Chapter Leader since 2020. She lives outside Minneapolis, Minnesota.

⭐ Ohio

Kris Titko
Making Magic for Kent, OH (Akron area)

📧 KrisT@themagicyarnproject.com

Kris is the Youth and Family Ministry coordinator at her church and is also the Special Events planner at the Golf Course and Venue she and her husband are part owners of.  They have been married for 34 years and have twins, Matthew and Miranda.  Matthew is why the Magic Yarn Project is so dear to her heart.  He lost his battle against cancer when he was 17 years old.  Kris and her family know firsthand how important it is to bring a little bit of happiness into the lives of the children and their families who are going thru such a traumatic time in their lives.  Captain Jack is Kris’ favorite wig as Matt (even as a teenager) loved his Captain Jack hat from Disney World!  Kris has been a chapter leader and making wigs since 2019 and is thrilled to be able to deliver them to Akron Children’s, Cleveland Clinic and Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospitals.

⭐ Pennsylvania

Jessica Ash
Making Magic for Pittsburgh, PA

📧 JessicaA@themagicyarnproject.com

Jessica found Magic Yarn on Facebook while scrolling through her feed. She is an avid crocheter, and after finding out what The Magic Yarn Project was all about, she immediately contacted us to see how she could be a part.

Once selected to be a Chapter Leader, Jessica took off running, attending training, raising money, holding workshops, and even having a news broadcast attend a workshop. She has worked with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Comcast, and many other organizations to help raise money and distribute wigs.

Her favorite Disney Princess is Belle. She was recently married in 2019 and the theme of her wedding was Beauty & The Beast! Her husband is even a Magic Yarn “Fairy Godfather,” helping her with whatever she needs from bedazzling flowers to attaching yarn to wigs. Jessica’s love for this non-profit is very deep and close to her heart!

Jessica and her family live in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

⭐ Utah

Ashley Henriksen
Making Magic for Utah County, UT

📧 AshleyH@themagicyarnproject.com

Ashley started making magic with her coworkers, Lani and Jami, back in the early growing years of Magic Yarn.  She helped teach one of the first wig workshops in Utah.  Those in attendance included young women and their mothers.  During this workshop, Ashely says she felt the spirit which drives Magic Yarn-the spirit of love and desire to bring smiles back to the faces of suffering children fighting cancer.  After that first workshop Ashley wanted to keep going.  She became an approved crocheter, followed by being trained in the beautiful Alaska mountains.  She came home and trained more to be an approved wig maker, and later trained to be a Chapter Leader.  She has enjoyed every moment of making magic, and met some beautiful people-those who teach and those who make wigs.  Ashley truly feels blessed to have shared a small moment with them in making children smile together and is honored to be involved.

Ashley has been married 36 years.  She works as a TA and a supervisor over TAs in a charter school, and in the summer works as a cashier at a public city swimming pool.  Ashley has 6 children and 3 grandchildren, who she adores and suffocates with love.  She recently found, only year ago, her little old dream cottage.  She likes to spend her time crocheting , knitting, and piecing quilts.  She enjoys decorating, and going to the lake and throwing out a fishing line is her moment of calm.  She enjoys her evenings sitting on her front porch with her husband where they are surrounded by the beautiful scenery and each others company.  Ashley will forever give all she can for the cause of children.