A SOFT, WARM BLANKET TO COMFORT CHILDREN HURT BY
HURRICANES KATRINA AND RITA

Dear Friends,

Some of you may have visited my Project Linus page and already know that the mission of Project Linus is "to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized or otherwise in need through gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans."  We're now faced with thousands of children hard-hit by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and Project Linus chapters all over the country are pitching in to reach out to these children and give them a blanket full of hugs.

You can help.  Project Linus chapters are sending blankets to Texas and other states for the many evacuees being sheltered, but many more blankets are needed.  You don't have to be able to knit, crochet, quilt or sew to help out, though those blankets are very welcome.  There is a very simple fleece blanket pattern that requires no sewing, only cutting and tying knots, and requires only a couple of hours to complete one.  Children are quite capable of making them, too, if your kids are looking for a way to help the Katrina and Rita victims.  There are pictures of the fleece blankets here, as well as a pattern.  If you're willing to pitch in, please contact your nearest Project Linus chapter (www.projectlinus.org) to see how best to send your blankets to the children in such dire need of comfort and security in this very turbulent and traumatic time in their lives.

If making blankets is not possible for you, donations of materials or funds to buy materials are also much-needed, as Project Linus is an organization made up solely of volunteers.  Please visit the Project Linus site for more information: www.projectlinus.org

Thank you all very much for your generosity and caring.

All my best,

Click here to view the pattern (.rtf)
 

Karen Loucks, founder of Project Linus

Jean with Anndreya and Devon

A completed quilt by the Texas Lone Stars

Robin Carson, Project Linus regular at Austin workdays

Kids Helping Kids

Diane Whitehouse, Austin Chapter Founder

Pat Howard, oldest volunteer for Austin chapter

High Schoolers from Jack and Jill of America, with Diane Laberge

Lone Stars learning to crochet from Jean Bishop, whose husband is serving in Iraq