Our Blanketeers are Touching the Lives of Children and their Families

The following thank you was received from Joyce Gentzler, Coord Joplin/SWMissouri Chapter:

“To all of you who sent blankets to help with the flood relief in Kansas, Thank You. There was a total of 580 blankets that I received for this project. The quality and diversity of designs that we as a group distribute is astounding to me. They were all lovely and all appreciated. Thank you from SW Missouri Chapter and SE Kansas residents.”

Judy Mathewson, Lt. Col. USAF wrote to the TAPS coordinator:
“ Barbara! Now I know what heaven feels like! Today, we gave over 140 wounded soldiers and their wives the blankets that PL rushed to Florida for the Transition Assistance Program. Almost all of the soldiers had children--one soldier on crutches has 6 children, and he was close to tears when we presented these beautiful blankets to them. One soldier pulled his wallet out and we said,” There is no need to pay for this blanket. It was made with love by Americans across the country who want to make sure you know you are loved and appreciated and that your children are heroes, too!” I will send pictures for your website! Wow! Thank you so very much! I am in awe about the wonderful effect it had on these heroes and I KNOW they will treasure them for their kids.”
(Once we can access pictures from Barb’s website I’ll let everyone know)

The following was received from the East Lampeter Police Department:

Dear Ms. Payne, On behalf of the East Lampeter Township Police department, I would like to thank you for the donation of blankets through the ‘Project Linus.’ Our officers are appreciative of this kind of donation as it makes their job just that much easier during times of crisis. Please be assured that we will share the information on the project with our fellow first responders in the fire and EMS services. We truly appreciate the hours you and fellow volunteers dedicate to this worthy program. Sincerely, John Bowman Chief of Police

The Bretz family writes:

“To the wonderful blanketeers of Lancaster County,
We can’t thank you enough for the beautiful afghan our son received at Women’s and Babies Hospital NICU. It was gorgeous and heart-warming. Our son, Nathan Andrew, was a preemie and spent 6 weeks in the NICU in January and February. The afghan kept him warm and helped comfort his parents. We felt like he wasn’t just in the hospital and we felt the “warmth” of knowing others cared and supported us. Everytime I look at the afghan, I think of your wonderful organization. We hope this donation will allow you to help other children and families. Thank you again for making our scary experience more bearable. Enclosed is a photo of Nathan on his afghan. He had the blue sideways shell baby afghan with ivory trim.”

Love,
Ken, Jen, Matthew and Nathan Bretz

The family donated $100 to our chapter. THANK YOU!

Project Linus National shared this "Thank You". Our chapter supported this effort.

To Whom It May Concern, The Arkansas Chapter of Project Linus has sent countless blankets to our military families over the past three years. And then just prior to Katrina I requested 200 blankets for a Combat Brigade being sent to Iraq. I thought if at all possible I would like all of the small children to have a blanket. The hurricane(s) hit and I knew the demand would be great for your blankets, so I emailed Ann Benson and said if need be to hold off on my large request. She said the word had gone out already and your Blanketeers were responding. Soon I started receiving the wonderful boxes from all over the country, including Florida which had been hit by hurricane earlier. Words just do not seem to be enough to express to you the joy these precious blankets/quilts have brought our soldiers' families. Sometimes it brings a sadness accompanied by the happiness of holding a true treasure in their arms. The treasure that each of your people have sewn or quilted with love and compassion for the children is invaluable and will be kept in their hearts their entire life. The blankets will warm them in cold and comfort them in times of sadness.

I can never thank you all enough for what you have done and what you are doing. God Bless Each and Every Blanketeer!!!

Penny Baker
Family Program Coordinator-North
Arkansas National Guard Family Program

Bonnie Jess Lopane of Hospice wrote: “Thank you so much for your gift of 50 blankets for Camp Chimaqua. The blankets will provide much comfort to the children who will receive them. Our staff and volunteers share my gratitude and appreciation for your generosity. Your support is deeply appreciated. We pledge our continued and unwavering commitment to providing high quality service for those in our community who are coping with a serious illness.”

The Family Maternity Staff at Ephrata Community Hospital wrote: “Thank you for sharing your wonderful talents. We want you to know that you are very much appreciated. Our Moms and babies love your warm soft blankets! Thank you so much!”

Peggy Kane, Chester County Coordinator wrote: “Needless to say, this is a BIG thank you for all the wonderful blankets you gave to my chapter. They went a very long way in helping me meet my need for 150 blankets for Camp Dreamcatcher. My kitchen and den looked like a blanket factory all week as I got ready for the pick up on Friday. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help your chapter out. Hugs from Linus”

Mom’s House sent a card. “We want you to know how much we appreciate your blankets. You have not only warmed our bodies but our hearts. We thank you. Christine & Melanie” Comments from 7 parents were written: “Thank you. It means alot.” “God Bless” "Thank you so much my daughter loves blankets.” "Thank you for your donation. It was truly a blessing. God Bless You.” “Thank You so much. God Bless U” “Thanks” “Thank You”

Mark and Jennifer Pontzer sent a donation and these words of thanks: “My husband and I would like to Thank You for your part in making our daughter’s stillbirth a little easier. On Nov. 12th we welcomed our daughter into the world. In coping with this news and preparing for this unexpected delivery we didn’t think to bring any clothing for the baby to the hospital. Because of your time and love, we were given a beautiful blanket and matching hat to dress our baby girl. Thank you for making a difficult time easier.”

Clare House: “...I would like to thank you for your donation of blankets. Please know that your generosity and thoughtfulness are greatly appreciated. The children and teens just loved the blankets." .... Jennifer Powell, Executive Director

Children’s Home of York: “Thank you for providing the Children’s Home of York with the wonderful donation of handmade fleece blankets. We at the children’s home of York appreciate your kindness. These items will be given to all our children for the holiday season. What a special treat for those in our care! Not only will the blankets provide physical warmth, but the emotional security offered by having a blanket made ‘especially for you’ is immeasureable. How wonderful! The blankets will warm their souls and their bodies.” Laurie Spagnola, President

At the February Yarn-In, a Dad stopped by the door. He was holding his daughter. He shared that the family received a PL blanket when she was born as she was only 4lbs... He wanted us to know how much the family appreciated the beautiful blanket. His daughter is now weighing 22 lbs and doing well.

This was shared by another Project Linus chapter:

Hi Everyone,
I just wanted to share a very emotional experience I had this past Sunday. I volunteer as a grief facilitator at a center for grieving children, who have lost a parent. At our last meeting for the year, my PL chapter donated beautiful quilts to these children (ages5-12). I thought the quilts would comfort them since they wouldn't have our center's support again until next Oct. But I never expected the wonderful response from the children that happened on the spot! We do a closing circle at the end of each meeting. As I called out each child's name, they took their quilt and wrapped it around themselves, modeling it for the circle! All of us adults held back tears, as we witnessed the comfort and love that Project Linus wrapped these children in! I am so grateful to be part of such a wonderful organization!

Thanks,
Judy Hunter
S. Deerfield, MA

Liz Lawrence, a blanketeer from another chapter, shared:

It's always heartwarming to hear a story about how a Project Linus blanket has brought comfort to the heart of a little one. My friend Jo and I were at a fabric store last summer(2005) and struck up a conversation with another quilter. She was from New York state, and when she heard we were picking out fabrics for Project Linus blankets, she told us her story:

Her grandson Alex was hospitalized at the Buffalo Children's Hospital when he was 15 months old. He received a Project Linus blanket at the hospital, and she says he loved it and carried it with him everywhere, until he started school. He called it "my baby". He is now over 6 years old, and she has had to repair it five or six times because of the "loving" it has received! I/m fairly new to Project Linus, and I was inspired by her story. I get excited about the children whose lives we warm with our blankets! I know you do too!

From a Child's View:

Kathleen Miller, Project Linus Cincinnati passes along these comments by Kathy Kihm, Chapter Assistant for Project Linus Cincinnati.

I would be willing to wager, that as a blanket maker receiving a compliment on a job well done, you may have responded: "Oh, it was so simple to make. I'm glad to have something to do with my time that benefits somebody." I hear it often!

As a charitable organization, Project Linus reaches out with blankets to comfort children in need. As adults, we see blankets comforting children by offering a soft, warm, protective gift that they can wrap up in, cuddle with, or lie on or beneath. We recognize the gift of a blanket as an outward sign that someone cares about the recipient in his/her current situation. All of that is true, but we must look farther.

Sometimes when I speak on behalf of Project Linus, I have the opportunity to speak to young children. On an elementary school visit, I asked a group of kids how a blanket can comfort a child. From a child's view, a blanket is so much more. A blanket can be cuddled, hugged, slept with, used as a tent, a Superhero cape, a tablecloth for tea parties, a long dress, a sleeping bag, a shawl, a turtle shell, a hiding spot, a cape for a king or queen. A blanket can be folded up and used as a pillow or wrapped around a secret treasure! The list went on and on! The kids shared their ideas with exuberance, smiles and happy eyes! No matter the situation or hardship, kids long to be kids, and it's obvious that blankets can take them places far beyond the confines of a hospital room, shelter or difficult condition. Blankets are wonderful things, and blanket makers are extraordinary people.

If you have merged your time and talent, fabric or yarn into a blanket for a child, you have given them not only the gift of a blanket, but fuel for their imagination and a tremendous boost of joy! And you thought a blanket was such a simple thing!

Project Linus National shared this note from a grateful mother whose daughter received a Project Linus blanket and then wrote a school essay about it. Here is her essay.

A Stitch of Love

Service above self can be many different things. It could be saving a third world country from starvation, giving water to the homeless, or trying to stop pollution, but what about putting smiles on kids' faces? Isn't that supposed to be a main goal, especially on the faces of those in the hospital? They may have cancer or have had major surgery. Some kids have Cystic Fibrosis.

Whatever the disease, kids need to smile.

I have Cystic Fibrosis, which affects my lungs and digestive system. I can't digest food, and my lungs are filled with mucus. I'm usually in the hospital once or twice each year, but unfortunately, this year it was three times, twice in two-and-a-half weeks.

Over Spring Break I was admitted to the hospital during the night because of a bad fever and horrible chills which could have been caused by an infection in my central line. My mom and I hadn't gotten a wink of sleep because residents kept coming in. As you can imagine, we were extremely tired!

A few friends came, but the rest of the day, I dozed on and off. Later, the Child Life employee, Tracey, came in and showed me what a port would be like if I had to get one, and I started crying. The whole day has been disastrous. First, I had to come in during Spring Break. Then those chills, which still scare me. Now learning I might get a port put in! This is just too much!

"Emily, you probably won't have to get it. Dr. McWilliams just wants to keep our options open" my mom spoke.
"You're a dancer, right?" Tracey questioned.
"Yes."
"I've got just the thing for you." Within minutes Tracey was back with a beautiful pink ballerina blanket. As we unrolled it, my mom and I saw a poem. When I read it, I started crying, but they were good tears; tears of joy. I couldn't believe someone would do that for me. That blanket made my day.

I would love to be able to make some blankets to donate to the hospital to help other children in difficult situations. Many of my friends know how to make the blankets, so I'm going to start making plans for a party where we could make them. These blankets would mean a lot to kids and would make their day. If people would just see the look on kids' faces when they get something as special as a blanket, there would be a different perspective on what people do for kids and teens in need of help. Maybe giving blankets to children isn't saving a third world country. Sure, it's not stopping pollution, either. What it is, though, gives children a glimmer of hope of being out of the hospital, or at least making their room brighter than just white. Patients should smile, as Tracey made me, even if they are in the worst place to spend Spring Break!

The following poem was written by Nancy Rich, a 90 year old blanketeer in an Ohio chapter.

Linus Club

We sit and sew and sew
For the Linus Club you know
We make the piles grow and grow
We send them to and frow
To cover people from head to toe
For those big and small we don't even know
To help make their smiles glow