2011 Memories

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BLANKET DAY BRIDGTON JANUARY 14TH, 2012

An invitation from the Chickadee Quilters:

I have booked the Bridgton Community Center's big room for Saturday,  January 14th for a Blanket Day.  I think some will want to do the flannel kits, but we also want to work on some traditional quilts.  We have found some easy patterns and I got a donation of some fabrics.  Our budget allows us to buy the batting and we will use the quilt tops to set up another night to practice free motion quilting.  I am very excited about this project.

Please let Beth Brown know if you'll be able to attend.   Beth's number is 699-9107 or contact at teambrown97@roadrunner.com.

I'll be there. It's a great day.  Thanks ladies!

HOLIDAY DONATION

Many thanks to Susie Wilson for her generous holiday check.

Her note to you all:

Thank you for all that you do - The children at Barbara Bush Hospital love the blankets - they provide such warmth and comfort.  God bless.

GORHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL BLANKET DAY 12-9-11

A heartful thanks to teachers Michelle Cyr and Donna Pastore and their 8th grade classes for the amazing Blanket Day as their 2011 Community Service Day.  I returned with 14 terrific fleece blankets.  Thanks everyone for your enthusiasm and hard work.    What a terrific day.

WESTBROOK GIRL SCOUTS NOW BLANKETEERS 12-5-11

Many thanks to Victoria Bates and the 3 Girl Scout troops for their wonderful tied fleece blankets.  We met, and they presented me with 8 blankets.  Sorry that I don't have your troop numbers.  You've all done something very special.

Again, thanks.

MMC Barbara Bush Children's Hospital 12-5-11

Melodie,

I know that I have mentioned over the phone and in person how grateful we are to the many volunteers that donate their time to making the beautiful quilts for the children, but I thought I would also send a letter of thanks.

So many parents are stressed and upset to see their child in the hospital.  When we bring one of the quilts into the room, it brings such joy and comfort to the parents to know that someone is thinking of their children.  The patients also love having a warm and colorful quilt to brighten up their room.  They are so excited to know that they can take them home.  I have seen time and time again patients that return with the quilts they were given on their last admission.  This is a testament to how loved and appreciated they are to them. 

Thank you again.

Sherisse Wormell, Child Life Coordinator

Maine Medical Child Life 11-4-11

Dear Project Linus

Ladies!  Thank you for your on-going, not to mention generous donation of the Quilts!  They are beautiful and the families and kids here love having one waiting on their hospital bed.  We truly appreciate your hard work and especially for the of the Quilts you provide for patients at BBCH.

Blessing & Joy to all of you!
Alice Burrowes, Child Lift Assistant

Thanks from the Trauma Intervention Program

With Fall comes much activity and it looks like you have many events coming up. TIP is beginning the next training class tonight and for the next two weekends I will be teaching this new group of citizen volunteers. the month of November will be getting our new group up and running with many field training events. Our volunteers have been gifting Linus blankets throughout the summer and into this fall. The blankets have been going primarily to children that have lost a loved one and the look in the eyes when they clutch on to the blanket is amazing, a touch of gentleness in a harsh situation.

Please thank everyone for the time and love put into each and every blanket.

 Crisis Team Manager
TIP Portland Maine Chapter
Community Counseling Center
165 Lancaster Street
Portland, ME 04101

Open House at Home Place Quilting, Dayton, Saturday September, 10

Valerie Meserve of Home Place Quilting, Dayton is having an Open House on Saturday, September 10 and has invited me and Julie Baker, the York County Project Linus Coordinator to join her and be available to answer questions you might have about Project Linus.

Her open house hours are from 10a.m. to 6 p.m. You can contact Valerie at 286-7975 for further information.

Blanket Day Monday, September 12, 2011

Join us on Saturday, September 12 from 9:30 to 2:30 at the Grand Atlantic Condos in OOB. We'll be doing something a little different this time as we'll be making teen blankets from scratch - not from pre-cut kits.Teams working together would be great.

Give me a call at 284-5606 to reserve a spot.

It's going to be fun!

Blanket Day Saturday, September 17, 2011

We've been invited by the Immanuel Baptist Church in Portland to hold a Blanket Day. Hours are from 9:30 to 2:30. For those of you who have never made a blanket from one of our pre-cut kits, you should be able to accomplish your blanket that day.

Usually I need replacement flannel for kits, but this time, I'm all set. Bring your sewing machine and tools.

Please give me a call at 284-5606 so I can plan.

Marden's Annual Blanket Day, Saturday, September 24, 2011

It's time again for Marden's Annual Blanket Day at all their retail stores that carry fabric. As you know, they are our major collection source of blankets through the year as this is one of their charitable projects.

I'll be in the Scarborough store, near the Maine Mall for all the fun from 10 to 3. Please come and join us for surprises and refreshments.

I hope to see you there.

The latest "thank you" notes

I want to thank you and your organization so much for the blankets. We received so many wonderful blankets made by loving hands. It feels so good to be able to give them to the children and they are so excited when we tell them they can keep them. They use them on their beds and when they watch a movie they also bring them to snuggle with. Again thanks so much it is greatly appreciated.

Spring Harbor


Thank you to all the talented Linus blanket makers for your talent and kindness. I am a manager of a Food Pantry and also the primary “outreach” person for home visits. During the past two years I have had the privilege of distributing blankets to young people who are clients of our food pantry. I have given a blanket to a 5-year-old Afghan girl who recently arrived in Portland. Her father had been murdered in front of her eyes and the mother and little girl were struggling to make new lives for themselves. I also gave a blanket to a young preadolescent girl whose family had lost their home because her father could no longer work due to his terminal cancer diagnosis. And I gave a soft knitted blanket to a 4-year-old Iraqi refugee whose eyes just lit up as he snuggled with his own, new, special blanket. But perhaps the most poignant gift of a colorful Linus blanket was to a 14 year old Rwandan girl who had witnessed the murder of her entire immediate family and who was now living in a very crowded apartment with her aunt and cousins. She just loves her blanket and I hope this small item that belongs to just her will bring her comfort for many years.
Thank you to all of you who reach out to the young and suffering by sharing your love of knitting or sewing.
Dorothy Blanchetter- Falmouth Food Pantry


Our family would like to thank you and Project Linus for the beautiful blankets. We've been using them since the day we received them.

We appreciate your caring and generosity.

On behalf of the Gerber/Sandora family

Memories from September, 2009 thru May 2011. I hope you enjoy.

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A "thank you" story

This past weekend we had a volunteer drape a blanket over a boy who had suffered a head trauma when he was chilly in his hospital bed. The mother was so touched, as she wept she told the TIP volunteer that it was amazing to her that such a beautiful blanket that someone had made was being given away. The volunteer told the mother that the blankets are made to be given to children and families in the midst of a traumatic event. She was very grateful.

LESLIE

Crisis Team Manager

TIP Portland Maine Chapter

Community Counseling Center

165 Lancaster Street

Portland, ME 04101

207.553.9311

Quilt & Blanket Show April 30, 2011

I met with Mrs. Morton's fourth grade class at

Manchester School in Windham on May 24.  They

were the second and third place winners in the

student category.  Each was presented a certificate

and a bookmark with a picture of the quilts.

Great job!  Thanks so much for helping make

two children happy.

SCARVES FOR WINTER SPECIAL OLYMPICS

Thought you might be interested in this information.SCARVES FOR WINTER SPECIAL OLYMPICS.  Many of you participated in this last year. 

Happy knitting!

Grand Chapter of Maine Order of Eastern Star

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!

On May 17th, all the Project Linus Coordinators were invited to the Wings of Peace annual convention of the Grand Chapter of Maine Order of Eastern Star at the Civic Center in Augusta.  Amagine our surprise when we were met with A L L these blankets for Project Linus.  There were almost 900 waiting for us.  Five coordinators from the state were represented and we each brought home as many as we could. 

What a wonderful and generous contribution.

A simple "thank you" to these kind people doesn't do it justice, but "thank you" from all the children that you will help to make their life a little bit more comfortable. 

Canal School Blanketeers of 2011 Win the First Prize for students

A group of Canal School 5th grade students have learned how to knit.  This spring they were able to take part in making an afghan that was donated to Project Linus for their exhibit in Scarborough a couple of weeks ago.  Theirs came in first place in the student category. 

Melodie Provost, the chapter coordinator for Cumberland County, visited the school to thank the students who donated the afghan to Project Linus.  She is also talked to the kids about Project Linus, answered questions, passed out certificates and treated them with ice cream bars.

Quilt & Blanket Show April 30, 2011

Please check out the latest WCSH 6 Television interview. Many thanks to them. They do such a terrific job.

Quilt & Blanket Show April 30, 2011

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Wow! What a wonderful day our Show was. A heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers who made this look so easy.

A special thanks to our vendors: Cheryl Brubaker of Hooked Treasures, Kathy Angel Lee, Kathy Sheehan of The Silver Penny, Sanford Sewing Machine, Tony's Sewing, Maria of ConKerr and Shirley Corse of The Kid's Project. You added special interest.

Thank you to those businesses who donated prizes: Cotton Weeds Quilt Shop, The Calico Basket Quilt Shop, Central Yarn, Tony's Sewing, The Korner Knitters, Rosemary's Gift & Yarn Shop, The Silver Penny, Mimosa Salon and The Lowell Quilt Festival. You helped make it fun.

To Marden's Fabric Dept in Scarborough. Well done! Lunch was perfect and it was nice to see you and find out more about your new store. Looking forward to working together for a long time.

A "thank you" story

I wanted you to know that your groups blankets recently went to three children who had witnessed a violent act and when given the blankets used them to snuggle up in.

We so much appreciate you all and the work you do!

I will be placing a tribute to your group at this year's Heroes with Heart event. I created a sign that will be placed by the TIP Bag display that thanks and recognizes those who contribute their time and energy to making blankets for the Project Linus.

Take care,

LESLIE

Crisis Team Manager

TIP Portland Maine Chapter

Community Counseling Center

343 Forest Avenue

Portland, ME 04101

207.553.9311

http://www.commcc.org/ /volunteering

VISIT FROM A PROJECT LINUS BABY

At our April 2, 2011 Blanket Day, we were blessed with a visit from a very special Project Linus baby.  Leanne Barschdorf-Nichols and baby Marian came to personally thank our volunteers for their work and contributions.  Baby Marian had received one of our blankets at a time that was very critical in her health.  Her parents felt that for them "coming back into her room after a difficult moment and there was her blanket, made all the difference for them.  It helped them face their challenges knowing that they had love and support; and from strangers as well." 

Mom Leanne is going to be making blankets with her circle of friends to help extend the warm feelings to others. 

Thanks Leanne for sharing this with us and Marian - you're quite the cutie.  Stay well.

Passing of Project Linus "Blanketeer" Jean Nitschke

For those of you who may have know Jean, she was a prolific Project Linus volunteer, having made over 120 afghans.  This is the notice from the paper:  http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/mainetoday-pressherald/obituary.aspx?n=jean-e-nitschke&pid=150113613

MMC BARBARA BUSH VISIT APRIL 5, 2011

Thanks to the staff of Maine Medical Center's Barbara Bush Hospital for our tour.  It was interesting and most enlightening.  Many had specific questions, and this was a great time to get them answered.  We got to visit the different units.  What an amazing place.  Everyone was so upbeat and kind.  The hospital is blessed to have such positive and kind personnel.   A very special thanks to Sherisse Wormell, Coordinator of Child Life Services.  We're blessed to have you taking care of our children.

RECENT BLANKET DAYS

February 5, Chickadee Quilters, Bridgton - sorry, no pictures.

February 6, LDS, Cape Elizabeth





February 19, Prince Memorial Library, Cumberland

March 11, St. Maximilian Kolbe Church, Scarborough

March 17 & 18, Sebago "Knit Wits", Sebago Grange, sorry no pictures



April 2, Jane Ellis, Old Orchard Beach

April 30 Studio Sale and Quilt & Blanket Show

This show is coming up very soon and we have lots of fabric and books for sale. 

There will also be a Silent Auction instead of our usual raffle.  If you have something appropriate to donate, please contact Charlene at 883-3021 and/or leave a message for her.

The children of Project Linus appreciate your generosity in keeping our program running. 

See you on the 30th.   Sale starts ata 10 a.m.




For more information about this upcoming show, or to hang a copy of this poster in your area, please click the link below. Thank you!

A Volunteer's Story

Check out this story by a local volunteer:   http://myrna-bird.livejournal.com/9373.html.   

WCSH 6 TV Interview February 2010

You can click here for the full story and video link.

With many thanks to WCSH 6 TV for their interview and story. 

1,651 Blankets Delivered in Cumberland County in 2010

Can you believe it? That's an amazing number of blankets delivered to children either ill or in crisis. Thanks to all of you hardworking "Blanketeers".