호주 최고령자의 펭귄에게 니트웨어 입히기 Australia's Oldest Man Knits Adorable Sweaters to Save Oil-Covered Penguins

경제문화 Economy, Culture/얘기꺼리 Gosship2015. 4. 17. 14:48

올해 109살의 호주 최고령 알프레드 알피.

그는 니트웨어만 80년을 만들어왔다.

노령에도 불구하고 펭귄을 보호하기 위하여 니트웨어 입히기 운동을 벌여왔다.

이 운동을 시작한 계기는 은퇴 후 집에서 요양 중이던 알피에게 그의 간호사의

권유가 있었다.

2013년 호주와 뉴질랜드 펭귄들이 검은 기름에 오염되자 호주 빅토리아

필립섬의 펭귄 보호 재단은 알피에게 펭귄들을 보호하기 위한 니트웨어를

기부해줄 것을 요청하기 시작했다..

2001년에도 검은 기름에 오염된 438마리의 펭귄 중 96%가 생명을 건졌으며

알피의 니트웨어로 착용으로 오염에서 완전히 복원됐었다.

Ki Chul Hwang 황기철

Conpaper Editor Distributor

콘페이퍼 에디터

Posted by Anna Gragert

109-year-old Alfred 'Alfie' Date, Australia's oldest man, has 80 years of knitting experience under his belt, which is why the nurses at his retirement home asked him for a highly specific, peculiar favor. Back in 2013, there was an oil spill that was negatively affecting the little penguins of Australia and New Zealand, a species with only 32,000 members in its colony on the Australian Phillip Island.

After the devastating oil spill, the Victoria's Phillip Island Penguin Foundation began requesting knit jersey donations to ensure the survival of the penguins, since the jerseys prevent the penguins from ingesting toxins and keep water from getting into their sticky, oil-covered feathers, which causes them to freeze and be unable to hunt. Back in 2001, 96% of the 438 penguins affected in another oil spill were saved and rehabilitated using these sweaters.

Alfie states that when the nurses asked him for this favor, he couldn't refuse, especially since he has trouble turning people down. The self-taught knitter, who began knitting after making a baby jacket for his nephew in the 1930s, remembers the sinking of the Titanic and the declaration of World War I. Australia's oldest man claims that "waking up every morning" is his secret for living a long, satisfying life.

Even after enough penguin sweaters were contributed, Alfie continues to keep his hands busy by knitting scarves for friends and beanies for premature babies. "It's a good way of getting along in life," Alfie states about knitting. "You make friends all the time, but you don't make a fool of yourself either."