Thanks a million: Cheltenham resident Margaret Marion’s garage door is always open

Margaret Marion has moved her sewing circle closer to home in a bid to keep her neighbourhood ticking over.

Margaret Marion has been nominated for News Corp’s Thanks a Million campaign. Picture: Nicki Connolly

Margaret Marion lives by the mantra that her door is always open — her garage door, that is.

About a decade ago the Cheltenham resident started up a sewing and knitting circle at her neighbourhood hall with all proceeds going to charity.

When COVID-19 lockdown stopped the weekly group from meeting, Marion moved her sewing machine into her garage and opened up the door encouraging neighbours to pass by for a socially-distanced chat.

Marion was nominated by her neighbour Eileen Stapleton for giving her community a positive lift every day.

“Margaret’s garage door is always open, it might be she offers a book to read, some vegetables out of her garden, a few biscuits she has baked or just a chat,” Stapleton said.

“All the time she is knitting or sewing little hats for premature babies, blankets and toys for Monash Hospital.”

“It’s just a nice way to spend your day, I just like folk,” said Marion, who says she could name every one of her neighbours and their dogs as well.

When Margaret Marion's (centre right) knitting and sewing group couldn't meet at their local hall during lockdown, she opened up her garage for neighbours to drop by every day for a chat. Picture: Nicki Connolly

“Some days one or two people come by, other days it’s six or eight.

“We’re all benefiting from this because everyone can still see each other this way, we may not be able to meet like we used to yet, but this is the next best thing.”

While their hall is still closed to meetings, Marion and her husband Kevin head down to the local running ground to meet with Senior Athletics for a walk and she busies herself making little Babushka dolls with babies tucked in the apron for the Children’s Hospital and knitted beanies for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

COVID-19 is not the first time Marion has helped out her community. During the recent bushfires in the Gippsland region, Marion and a friend sewed joey bags for the burnt animals.

But the mother of three and grandmother of seven who has held jobs throughout her life including primary school teacher, milk bar owner and antique dealer, said she doesn’t really understand why she was nominated.

“I was absolutely amazed,” she said. “I thought, I’m just a neighbour, this is what I do.”

To nominate someone and say thanks, go to thanksamillion.net.au and they could receive a $200 Woolworths Gift Card. Terms and conditions apply.