Doylestown, Pennsylvania’s parking meters along State and Main Street are wearing lime green sweaters. Over 55 volunteer knitters and crocheters from Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York, California, Rhode Island, Texas, Illinois, Oklahoma, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Minnesota are making a combined effort to raise Lyme disease awareness. One volunteer sent her hand crocheted and knit parking meter sweaters all the way from Somerset, England.

In the yarn world, giving public inanimate objects a handmade sweater is called yarnbombing. It’s a form of street graffiti using yarn rather than paint. Lyme Yarnbombs, Inc. is a new 501c3 registered nonprofit charitable organization made up of all volunteers who plan events called Yarnbomb for Lyme.

Their mission is to raise Lyme awareness, to educate, and to give hope to Lyme disease patients suffering from chronic symptoms. In a Johns Hopkins study, 63% of patients treated for Lyme continue to suffer from chronic symptoms.

Pennsylvania is the number one state in the country for Lyme diagnoses. Lyme Yarnbombs chose Doylestown for its large number of unique stores all along beautiful tree-lined streets. This setting is ideal to Yarnbomb for Lyme since a shopping district set in “small town America” like this can draw a lot of pedestrian traffic.

People enjoy walking around outside looking at all the stores. Someone is bound to notice a parking meter wearing a sweater and in turn may stop to read its weather proof tag displaying either a Lyme disease fact, symptoms, or a prevention tip.

Twenty-five different facts will alternate from meter to meter around town. All facts are from the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS). ILADS Lyme disease guidelines are approved by the National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) and listed in the National Guidelines Clearinghouse. Education and prevention is key to preventing Lyme disease. See ilads.org for more information on tick-borne illnesses.

Yarnbomb for Lyme is truly a large community effort designed to raise awareness in a fun way but at the same time warn the public to remember to be “outdoor safe,” because Lyme disease can sometimes cause chronic debilitating symptoms.

Anyone can help raise awareness while visiting Doylestown. Take your picture with a yarnbombed parking meter and share it on social media using the hashtags #parkingmeterlymefact  and #yarnbombforlyme

Yarnbomb for Lyme is made possible by wonderful volunteers and generous sponsors: International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS), Lyme Disease Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, and Red Heart Yarn. Sponsors from Newark, Delaware are Precision Arts Inc., Royal Pest Solutions, Potstickers Asian Grill and Sushi Bar, Deer Park Tavern, Newark Natural Foods, Christiana Flower and Gift Shoppe, and Promotions Plus.

Newark will have a Yarnbomb for Lyme event April 29, with a rain date of April 30. Newark’s event will include the town clock, parking meters, and the Deer Park Tavern. Schenectady, NY will Yarnbomb for Lyme on April 30.

Lyme Yarnbombs would love to Yarnbomb for Lyme in a town near you! For more information, visit www.lymeyarnbombs.com . For more photos, click here.

This information is from a press release.