February newsletter

Jan 27, 2012                                                                       Blankets delivered:    8528

Dear Blanketeers,

This will be the last newsletter I will write to you.   I’ve had the privilege of being the coordinator for both the Project Linus chapter in Cheyenne, WY and again in Salt Lake City.   Starting each chapter and watching them grow has been like raising children: challenging but overwhelmingly gratifying.

You are the most loving group of people I’ve ever been associated with and I’ll be forever grateful I’ve had the chance to be your coordinator for Project Linus. As I’ve told you all along, your generosity, creativity and love for Project Linus has been reflected in the blankets you’ve made.   The thank you notes we’ve received have always expressed just how much the blankets are appreciated by the parents for the comfort the blankets give to their children.    And the children just love them to pieces!  

But after 10 years of being coordinator it’s time to give the reigns of the chapter to Kristin Vance.   She’s been our assistant for the past year and has been more generous with her time, creativity and insight than I would have ever imagined. Working with Kristin will be Millie Martensen and Melissa Thayer as assistant coordinators.    With you helping Kristin, the Salt Lake County chapter will continue to deliver lovingly made blankets to the children in our community in crisis.

With a heartfelt hug,

Kathy

Be sure and check out our blog - slcprojectlinus.blogspot.com.  On the blog you’ll find the current newsletter, updates on blanket donations, instructions for making fleece blankets (great for people who can’t attend Make a Blanket Days and want to make fleece blankets), and do’s and don’ts. 

“Make a Blanket Day” for the north VALLEY WILL be Feb 6 ... come join us at Our Saviour’s Lutheran church 3900 S. 2500 E. From 10-2.   Bring your lunch – we have a wonderful time!!

 The next South Valley “Make a Blanket Day” will be Feb 21… at the South Jordan Library from 10:15 – 1:00.  We’re building a nice size group, the ladies are very friendly and welcoming, AND we hope you’ll join us. Please note – we have to be out of the conference room by 1:00 PM

 

In December we received a donation from the Copper Hills 2nd Ward, organized by a lady who's grandson had received a Project Linus blanket. Thank you for the wonderful blankets & to Deanne Pierce for thinking of us!

it’s not too early to begin thinking about TAPS blankets.  These blankets are made for children who have lost a parent in service to our country.   We need large (60” x 72”) and medium (45” x 60”) blankets in patriotic colors.  Please – no knitted and crocheted blankets as they are too heavy and don’t travel well.

We received another thank you note last month:

Dear Mt. Vista Church Ladies,

You’re awesome! Thank you so much for the beautiful blanket!  We recently become foster parents to a 4 month old baby boy.  Originally we were expecting older children, so we were not prepared for a baby.  We had no baby stuff – so the baby blankets really helped us out.  Thanks again for sharing your talents and times with us.  Rebecca

 Thank you to everyone who contributes to Project Linus in Salt Lake County.  Whether you make blankets, sew labels on, package blankets, donate funds for shipping and stamps, or donate paper, yarn or fabric, each one of you helps to grow our chapter so we may give a little bit of love and security to a child in crisis. 

Hugs to you all,

Kathy & Kristin                                     

morrowchey@att.net

801-302-8096

Or

slcprojectlinus@gmail.com

801-386-5917

One of our lttlest Blanketeers

In December we received a donation of 33 blankets from the ladies at Copper Hills 2nd ward & I forgot to post this cute picture!  This little blanketeer helped her mom drop off the blankets & she helped make blankets too!  I love her smile, frome ear to ear & had to share.....

January make a blanket day

Just a reminder to our North Valley blanketeers, our make a blanket day will be Monday, January 9th, 2012. Have a Happy & safe New Year celebration!

December Newsletter

Dec.19, 2011

 Blankets delivered:  8376

Dear Blanketeers,

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!  We wish you the most joyous season as you celebrate with those close to you.   This newsletter will have just a few notices and then a couple of thank you notes from blanket recipients.  Please read the thank you’s, they’ll make your day.

Be sure and check out our blog - slcprojectlinus.blogspot.com.  On the blog you’ll find the current newsletter, updates on blanket donations, instructions for making fleece blankets (great for people who can’t attend Make a Blanket Days and want to make fleece blankets), and do’s and don’ts. 

 “Make a Blanket Day” for the north VALLEY WILL be Jan 2 ... come join us at Our Saviour’s Lutheran church 3900 S. 2500 E. From 10-2.   Bring your lunch – we have a wonderful time!!

The next South Valley “Make a Blanket Day” will be Jan 17… at the South Jordan Library from 10:15 – 2:00.  We’re building a nice size group, the ladies are very friendly and welcoming, AND we hope you’ll join us.

 My heart is full tonight, as I write this. I just felt I needed to take a few minutes to thank you for your service via "Project Linus".

My family has just been through a really horrible and traumatic experience, and our lives were turned upside down.

Today, my children met with a guardian ad litem at the SLC courthouse and were each greeted with a blanket with your card attached.

I had no idea the blessing this simple gift would bring my children.... as they are not small children but a pre-teen and young teenagers, but as they each wrapped themselves up in them right in the office, their minds were occupied for a few moments away from the stressful reason they were there. My youngest even commented how the penguins on her new blanket made her smile and it felt like a friend was with her during her interview.

Tonight, as I made my way to each of their beds to say goodnight, they each were wrapped up in their blankets. It made me smile to know they felt comforted by such a gift.

Words cannot express how grateful I am for the hands that put these blankets together, and those who organized this project... And the tenderness of such an act of kindness.

The one card I managed to save has "This blanket was made by Ella" so if you know her, please tell her how thankful we are for her kindness and service.

LAMMY ANN

 
Nov. 20, 2011

Our 6 year old daughter was recently at the Jordan Valley Hospital ER due to a peanut allergy.   They gave her one of your blankets and she hasn’t let it go since!  Thank you for the time and energy spent on doing this great service.  It meant so much to her – Heather Fahrken

P.S. the tag said her blanket was from the West Jordan Senior Center.  Please thank them for us too!

 Just a note – we talk a lot about making fleece blankets but we dearly love crocheted and knitted blankets as well as quilts.  So where ever your talents lie we would love to receive your gifts of love.

 
Thank you to everyone who contributes to Project Linus in Salt Lake County.  Whether you make blankets, sew labels on, package blankets, donate funds for shipping and stamps, or donate paper, yarn or fabric, each one of you helps to grow our chapter so we may give a little bit of love and security to a child in crisis. 

Hugs to you all,

Kathy & Kristin                                    

November newsletter

Nov. 22, 2011 Blankets delivered: 8208

Dear Blanketeers,

Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you have a wonderful day with family and friends. I am especially thankful this year for all of you and your generosity and talent. The children who receive your blankets love to hug them and are comforted by the love and security that goes with them.

Be sure and check out our blog - slcprojectlinus.blogspot.com. On the blog you’ll find the current newsletter, updates on blanket donations, instructions for making fleece blankets (great for people who can’t attend Make a Blanket Days and want to make fleece blankets), and do’s and don’ts.

“Make a Blanket Day” for the north VALLEY WILL be Dec. 5 ... come join us at Our Saviour’s Lutheran church 3900 S. 2500 E. From 10-2. Bring your lunch – we have a wonderful time!!

The next South Valley “Make a Blanket Day” will be Dec 20… at the South Jordan Library from 10:15 – 2:00. We’re building a nice size group, the ladies are very friendly and welcoming, AND we hope you’ll join us.

Thrivent Financial Service for Lutherans donated $500 to our chapter. We bought enough fabric and yarn for 63 medium or large sized blankets. Thank you, Thrivent for your much needed donation and to Bernie Sprecher for doing the leg work.

Thanks so much for everyone who made a special effort to finish and deliver blankets for Shop With a Cop. We will deliver 160 medium blankets to the South Jordan Police Dept. Nov. 28^th. We are the only source for blankets for these children – YOU DID GOOD!!!!!!

Please read this thank you note I received earlier this month

Dear Kathy,

I am in receipt of the lovely blankets you made for the patients in our hospital. There was a great deal of work that went into them and they are exquisite. I realize the time, effort and expense involved in the making of these items and I send you thanks from the families that gratefully accept them.

Thanks to people like you, we can ease the pain and suffering of loss that life brings. Many of the items donated become family heirlooms that are cherished above all else.

For those who receive the blankets, I send their gratitude and tears that they were thought of that day. I want you to know that your efforts are so very appreciated.

With great sincerity

Chaplain LeNae Peavery-Onstad

Just a note – we talk a lot about making fleece blankets but we dearly love crocheted and knitted blankets as well as quilts. So where ever your talents lie we would love to receive your gifts of love.

Thank you to everyone who contributes to Project Linus in Salt Lake County. Whether you make blankets, sew labels on, package blankets, donate funds for shipping and stamps, or donate paper, yarn or fabric, each one of you helps to grow our chapter so we may give a little bit of love and security to a child in crisis.

Hugs to you all,

Kathy & Kristin

Blankets needed for S. Jordan Shop with a Cop

Hello,  I need your help to make sure we have enough blankets for Shop with a Cop.   We need 150 medium sized blankets to be delivered to the South Jordan police station on Nov. 28^th.  I will need all the blankets by Nov. 21^st so we can get them all labeled and packaged.

If you have medium sized blankets that will be finished by Nov. 21^st please let me know.  I’ll need to know how many you have and whether they are for boys or girls.

It would also be helpful to know whether you’re bringing the finished blankets to the South Valley Make a Blanket Day ( Nov.15), dropping them off at a drop-off location (let me know which one), or , I will be at the DI on 4500 S. on the 21^st to accept deliveries of blankets.  I’ll let you know the time next week.

If necessary, we can have a special Make a Blanket Day to be sure we have enough blankets – we have funds for blankets, I just need to know where we stand.

You’re efforts to make sure all the kids who attend Shop with a Cop get to pick their own special ‘hug’ are deeply appreciated.

Please let me know as soon as you can so we can make plans.

Hugs,

Kathy

October newsletter

Oct. 28,2011

 Blankets delivered:  8040

Dear Blanketeers,

 Welcome to the new Blanketeers who have joined our chapter during the past month, we’re so glad to have you with us and hope you’ll love Project Linus as much as we do.   Be sure and let Kristin or Kathy know if you have any questions.

 Be sure and check out our blog - slcprojectlinus.blogspot.com.  On the blog you’ll find the current newsletter, updates on blanket donations, instructions for making fleece blankets (great for people who can’t attend Make a Blanket Days and want to make fleece blankets), and do’s and don’ts. 

 “Make a Blanket Day” for the north VALLEY WILL be Nov 7 ... come join us at Our Saviour’s Lutheran church 3900 S. 2500 E. From 10-2.   Bring your lunch – we have a wonderful time!!

The next South Valley “Make a Blanket Day” will be Nov 15 at the South Jordan Library from 10:15 – 2:00.  We’re building a nice size group, the ladies are very friendly and welcoming, AND we hope you’ll join us.

On Oct. 12^th Kristin and I attended the Half Day of Service at Rowland Hall.   As in the past we met 27 great, hardworking high school age kids.  They each brought yardage of fleece, learned how to square it and then how to make fleece blankets.   Many of the kids brought more than one piece of fleece so we ended up with 55 blankets!   Thanks so much Rowland Hall!

 Thrivent Financial Service for Lutherans has generously donated $500 to our chapter.  We’ll use the funds for blanket making supplies, mail and shipping supplies, and a few chapter expenses i.e.: brochures and paper.   Thank you, Thrivent for your much needed donation and to Bernie Sprecher for doing the leg work.

 HELP!!!!!! This year we will again participate in Shop with a Cop.  We will be donating 160 medium sized blankets.  We’ve been able to save up 80 blankets, so if you’re wondering what we need it would be 80 more medium blankets for boys and girls – be sure they are colorful with kid friendly prints – thanks so much!!!

Our chapter is looking for a new coordinator:   I’ve loved being the coordinator for our chapter for the past 5 years, meeting so many talented, generous blanket makers and having the honor of delivering your lovingly made blankets to the children. Each time I deliver blankets, the thanks you’s from the recipients are so heartfelt and I am humbled by the need for the love and security our blankets represent.   But, the time has come for me to step down as the chapter coordinator.   Kristin is able to stay on as chapter assistant coordinator and is able to share most of the responsibilities and she knows all the ins and outs of chapter management. 

 The coordinator should coordinate the chapter activities not necessarily DO them all.  The responsibilities include picking up blankets from the drop-off locations, packaging the blankets for delivery, and then delivering the blankets. Many of you have helped with these responsibilities and Kristin and I deeply appreciate your time. We also work on publicity, fundraising, thank you note writing and answering phone calls. Headquarters requires a quarterly and yearly report filed electronically both of which take only about 5-10 minutes.  I probably spend 1-2 hours per day working on Project Linus.

The new coordinator needs to have a place to store the blankets until they are delivered.   Kristin and I have worked lately to get to a system so that blankets come in and go out quickly so there isn’t a lot of time with lots of blankets in my house.

Project Linus headquarters is a wonderful resource for a new coordinator and coordinators have access to a Yahoo. Groups chat site for that is full of great ideas …. You’re never alone while you’re a coordinator.

I hope you will give considerable thought to being the coordinator of our chapter.  The rewards are beyond your imagining.  Please give me a call (801-302-8096) or send me an email if you’re interested.

Just a note – we talk a lot about making fleece blankets but we dearly love crocheted and knitted blankets as well as quilts.  So where ever your talents lie we would love to receive your gifts of love.

Thank you to everyone who contributes to Project Linus in Salt Lake County.  Whether you make blankets, sew labels on, package blankets, donate funds for shipping and stamps, or donate paper, yarn or fabric, each one of you helps to grow our chapter so we may give a little bit of love and security to a child in crisis. 

Hugs to you all,

Kathy & Kristin