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ABOUT PROJECT LINUS: MILESTONE!!!! TUCSON'S CHAPTER COMFORTS OVER 20,000: As of September 30, 2008 we had delivered 20,000 blankets to children in the Tucson area. When the chapter began, the goal was to ultimately reach 1,000 children. Instead, look what's happened!!!! With the help of over 200 women, men and children, who regularly make and contribute blankets, Project Linus Tucson has given the gift of a security to many thousands of children. As of June 2008 there were 406 Project Linus Chapter. Chapters are in all states of the USA. Together, these chapters had given 2,293,340 security blankets to children!
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION'S MISSION STATEMENT: Project Linus is a volunteer non-profit national organization with a twofold mission.
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION'S HISTORY: Project Linus began in Denver on Christmas Eve 1995 when an article appeared in Parade Magazine entitled, "Joy to the World". Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Eddie Adams, it featured a petite downy-haired little girl who had been undergoing intensive chemotherapy. The article stated that her security blanket helped her get through treatments. Karen Loucks read the article and decided to provide homemade security blankets to Denver's Rocky Mountain Children's Cancer Center. The idea grew, Charles Schultz's family gave permission to use the blanket-toting Linus as the logo, and Project Linus was born. |
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Members List:
Links Section
Coordinator:
Marge Koeller 578-7115
AsstCoord:
Jody Elmer 760-8852
NW Area:
Elizabeth Stewart 825-0963
SE Area:
Jan VandenHeuvel 885-3126
NE Area:
Mary Dimercurio 885-5703
SW Area:
Marge Koeller 578-7115
GREEN VALLEY:
LOIS WESTERVELT 399-1411
Make-A-Blanket Day
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Once a year, usually in February or March, Project Linus chapters throughout the United States, hold a Make-A-Blanket Day. These events are open to community members who would like to spend the day making blankets together. Knitters and those who crochet are asked to bring their own tools (because they will be finishing their work at home). Cathey's furnishes a limited number of sewing machines that are used on a first-come basis. Most quilts made are simple "sandwich blankets" that are hand-tied. Sitting around a table, helping tie a blanket, is a wonderful way to work with friends, old and new. The date for 2009's event is not firm, but will be announced on this web site! Last year's photos:
Volunteers at our Make-A-Blanket Day, March 2008, brought in or completed 245 blankets! They checked out another 155 kits to make blankets at home for Project Linus.
As a direct result of this single MAB event, volunteers have "hugged" 400 Tucson-area children who desperately need the sense of love and security that a blanket can provide.
 Welcome! Won't you sign in and take a door prize ticket! Charlene Mazon, JoAnne Houston and Jan VandenHeuvel (SE Area Team Leader) manned the Welcome Table.
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 Cathey's Sew & Vac furnished sewing machines and instruction throughout our event.
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 Cathey's service technicians set up sewing machines along both walls of Northminster Presbyterian Church's Fellowship Hall.
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 Machines were used to construct all of the blankets, and sometimes for quilting them. |
 It wasn't just an event for ladies! Men and children came to make blankets too! |
 Many volunteers sat around tables, securing the batting inside the quilts with yarn ties. |
 Old friends met again at our Make-A-Blanket Day!
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 Those of "the yarn persuasion" shared ideas and visited as they knitted and crocheted.
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 Crochet enthusiasts making afghans.
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 Knitters at front and rear tables, fleece tying at the center table, and light box workers in the rear (on right).
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 Volunteers enjoyed tracing pictures onto muslin squares that children will color. The squares will be assembled into quilts, through our new "Kids Helping Kids" project. (Dale Shoots, not pictured, is heading this project.)
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 Elizabeth Stewart, NW Area Team Leader, and members of the Casa Amigas group, served lunch.
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 Bubbly Mary Dimercurio (who, you'll notice, never holds still!) counted blankets as they were completed and led rousing cheers as the numbers grew! Mary is the liaison to several drop-off points and recipient facilities, and her husband Joe is our Historian. Mary is our resident expert quilter, and an inspiration to us all.
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 Chapter Coordinator Cheryl Reif (left) pitched in to help make quilts. Our chapter has grown dramatically under Cheryl's leadership!
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 Penny Lewis, NE Area Team Leader, checked out fabric kits for making quilts at home. "Just add batting and love!"
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 Yarn kits were available too. Between the 35 yarn projects that were in progress at the end of the day, and the yarn and fabric kits checked out, 155 more blankets would be completed. Added to the 245 made/brought in during the event, 400 Tucson-area children will be wrapped in security blankets!
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 A final look back at the hard-working volunteers......
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 ....as we finish our "visit" to the Tucson Chapter's March 8, 2008 Make-A-Blanket Day event.
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 Thank you to Karen Coyne, of Cathey's! She was with us during the room setup on Friday and during the entire Saturday event! This is the second year that we have enjoyed Karen's expert instruction, and Cathey's state-of-the art machines.
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 Thank you to Northminster Presbyterian Church for donating the use of their Fellowship Hall, to those businesses and individuals who contributed food and door prizes, and to all of the volunteers who made our day such a success! See you next year!
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