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The Joy of Giving: Little Volunteers Make Blankets for Kids in Need
» Cora Weisenberger - Neighbors - September 25, 2008


A New Lenox family has made big contributions to their favorite charity in two ways.

The Jackman family - Rob and Laura and their children, Jennifer, 9; Robert, 8; Philip, 6; and Stuart, 3 - has been making fleece blankets for Project Linus, a national organization headquartered in Bloomington, Ill. In addition, their volunteer activities received a $1,000 donation from WonderTime magazine, a Disney publication.

"You don't hear (about the contest) and you don't hear - and then they called and said we were finalists," said Laura Jackman who in January of this year entered an essay on her families' activities in the magazine's "Littlest Volunteers Contest." The $1,000 prize was awarded to Project Linus.

Project Linus provides blankets, quilts and afghans for children in hospitals, shelters and social service organizations or who experience some kind of traumatic event. Laura said she learned about the organization through her church, The Parkview Christian Church in Orland Park, and learned how to make "no-sew" fleece blankets which are held together with knots rather than stitches.

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"When I first learned how to do them, I thought this would be great for the kids," she said.

Through their church, the Jackmans participated in "The Kingdom Assignment," where they received $100 and a challenge to "invest God's money." Laura used the money to buy supplies and to host a blanket-making party in January 2007.

Even though it was Super Bowl Sunday, Laura said 10 guests showed up and 10 blankets were made for Project Linus. She estimates that, in total, her family has made and donated 75 blankets.

Volunteer "blanketeers" across the country create handmade blankets, quilts and afghans for Project Linus, named after the beloved character from the comic strip "Peanuts" who was rarely without his "security blanket."

According to its Web site (www.projectlinus.org), as of June of this year, volunteers have delivered approximately 2.5 million blankets. Like the Jackmans, volunteers frequently hold "blanket parties" where guests bring materials and create blankets for donation.

All of the Jackman children are involved in the blanket-making. Laura said they knot blankets while watching TV and they set aside a part of their allowance to buy supplies. Everyone gets involved in buying fleece, even Stuart, the youngest. Although he can't knot yet, his mother said he "does the softness test." Each blanket costs about $10 to make. Laura said.

"I think they get the joy of giving," she said. "I think they're aware that people just like them suffer and there's something we can do for them. It's about giving and having empathy for others."

Pauline Anderson is the Will County coordinator for Project Linus. She and the Jackmans attend the same church.

"I think the Jackmans are a wonderful family," she said. "They have never missed a (monthly donation). (Laura) is a wonderful person. I'm crazy about her. 'A faithful servant,' that's what I call her."

Anderson said the $1,000 prize money won by the Jackmans, as with any other monetary donation, was sent to the national headquarters and is placed into an account used for buying supplies.

The Will County chapter provides blankets, quilts and afghans for Will and parts of Cook County, but will give to any child in need. Anderson said that most of the blankets made by the Jackman family go to hospitals in Joliet and Oak Lawn. Since 2005, the Will County chapter has produced approximately 15,000 blankets.

One of the goals of giving children blankets, said the Project Linus Web site, is to provide "love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort."

Anderson said she had met a family at a garage sale which was being used as a fund raiser for juvenile diabetes. The couple's 22-month-old son had been battling the disease since birth. The little boy loved trains, so when Anderson later found a blanket with a train print, she gave the blanket to the boy. He promptly named it his "choo-choo blankie."

The Will County chapter for Project Linus will hold a blanket party on Tuesday, Sept. 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the New Lenox Village Hall. All volunteers are welcomed to attend.

For more information on Project Linus, see www.projectlinus.org. For more information on the New Lenox Blanket Party, contact Pauline or Lon at 815-462-1057 or e-mail them at alyssashope@sbcgobal.net.

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