Wednesday, November 21, 2001
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Wednesday, November 21, 2001 |
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Help hurting kids with handmade blankets I am a part of a charitable organization called Project Linus, whose mission is to provide comfort for seriously ill or traumatized children by giving out handmade "security" blankets at times like these. Project Linus was started on Christmas Eve, 1995, by a Colorado woman named Karen Loucks, who saw a striking photo of a little girl in a magazine. Three-year-old Laura Williams was undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, and was shown clutching her "security" blanket, which helped her endure the treatments. Karen, who had recently learned to crochet, wondered if other such children would also like a blanket, so she called the Rocky Mountain Children's Cancer center and asked if they would like some, and they said, "Yes!" The movement spread and grew, and now there are close to 300 chapters scattered all over the U.S., with five in the metro Atlanta area alone. Project Linus is an all-volunteer organization, and solicits churches, craft groups, scout troops, schools, senior centers, and interested individuals to make crocheted, knitted, quilted, or tied blankets. The need is ongoing and continual, and facilities that are served are hospitals, children's shelters, funeral homes, and on and on. The ages range from premature infants to teens, for they are children as well, and still need a warm hug in times of crisis. When the Columbine High School shooting occurred, Karen Loucks from Project Linus was there, handing out blankets to the shattered teens, who clung to them in the aftermath. When the tornadoes ripped through southwest Georgia, the closest chapter coordinator asked for blankets, and received nearly 200, which were mailed to her from other chapters. When the mother of a 6-year-old boy was killed at Home Depot in Morrow, I took several blankets to the funeral home (some for later use for other grieving children). When I heard about a little boy who fell into a still-smoldering outdoor fire pit, I gave his aunt a blanket for him. When a friend mentioned that a coworkers son was facing serious surgery to remove a tumor behind his sinuses, I took him a blanket to give to the father. And, yes, I was able to gather 30 or so blankets to ship to the New York City area recently for the children of those who were killed in the World Trade Center catastrophe. My husband's employer, Dade Behring, boxed them for me and paid the shipping costs. Now, lest anyone think that I make all these blankets myself, I get most of them from faithful volunteers who share this vision. I would like to highlight one of them, the lady who has made more blankets than anyone in my chapter over the past few years. She is a "senior" who cranks out six to 10 a month for me, and has probably made well over 100. Her name is Susan Rosa, and she lives in Peachtree City. I don't know what I would do without her and her beautiful crocheted ripple afghans. They are just the right size for the "average" kid that comes through the doors of a place like the Rainbow House in Clayton County, which gets many of the blankets. She deserves special recognition. I have taken her out to lunch and given her a few tokens of gratitude, but I am so grateful for the opportunity to pay her special honor through this newspaper. I could use a few more like her, for I still cannot meet all the needs of the Rainbow House, let alone other facilities I would like to serve. I would like to be able to send some more to NYC, too. So if anyone else out there would like to make blankets for a hurting child, you can call me at 770-716-9968. The blankets must be new, handmade, and washable. As far as size, approximately 40 inches by 60 inches is about the right size for the "average" kid, some of whom are young teen boys! I believe in what I am doing, and am hoping that others of you will too. That would make my Christmas so special, and would make life just a little happier for so many hurting children. Thank you, Citizen Newspaper, for giving me the opportunity to share this vision. Judy Simpson Fayetteville JAGSimpson@prodigy.net
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