Fourth Quarter Newsletter 2016
CHAPTER COORDINATOR’S MESSAGE
How quickly the holidays have come and gone, I hope each of you had time to enjoy the season. I'd like to thank you for your past generosity to the children served by Project Linus of Western North Carolina. Whether you provide blankets, supplies, deliver and pick-up blankets, do label sewing, promotion of PL or more, you are making a difference in the life of a child going through a traumatic situation. These are often children in the hospital, victims of domestic abuse, children that have lost a loved one, children living in a shelter or so many other difficult situations.
Project Linus has had another wonderful year with thanks going to each of you. Our inventory of blankets is lower than past years, but we have met all requests and look forward to always meeting that goal. We gave out 4,236 in 2016 and now take a look at our grand total. Since this chapter was started in 1998 by Barbara Bernhard we have given out 60,150 blanket "hugs".
We have recently received some generous donations: monetary, fabric, yarn, and etc. I never want someone to be unable to make a blanket due to lack of supplies. If you would like to receive yarn or fabric please reach out to me and I will see that you have the necessary "ingredients" to work with.
BOOKS FOR GOOD
One of our biggest supporters is Books for Good. Since this used book store came to be a little over two years ago we have received over $1,600 from them. If you aren't familiar with how it works, it is very simple. You take your good quality books to their location at 50 Heritage Park Drive in Fletcher ( a little hard to find as they are in the very back of a commercial area), let them know that they are from Project Linus, they sell them and we receive a percentage. They tell me that the quality of the books that we bring them far outdo all others that they get, and therefore our checks are larger. While you are there be sure and shop as their prices are very low. Their hours are Monday - Friday 12:00-5:00 and Saturday 10:00-2:00.
BARNES & NOBLE
Thank you to Judy Spencer and Joni Bloxsom who made arrangements with Barnes & Noble for Project Linus to man several shifts at their free Christmas gift wrapping table. B&N provides the paper and non-profits do the wrapping with the hopes of making tips. The most important aspect of this is that we were able to get the message of Project Linus to some new folks. Husband, Gene and I worked one of the shifts and it was a fun thing to do. Maybe one of you would consider it next year.
I hope that you would think about helping us get our message out and help attract new "Blanketeers". Unfortunately, for many different reasons we are losing many blanket makers and the need for blankets is greater than ever.
MAKE BLANKET DAY
Buncombe County will be holding its annual Make a Blanket Day on Saturday, March 18. We are very fortunate to be able to have it again at Eliada Home from 10:00 until 2:00. The address is 2 Compton Street. Leaving Asheville, head West on Patton Ave, turn right on New Leicester Highway. Travel 1.4 miles and turn right onto Compton Road. It is easy to drive past the road, so look for the sign directing you to Eliada Home. Continue on Compton Road until you see the campus. Our building is on the right, the one with all the windows. If this is your first MABD you will have the opportunity to get together with fellow "blanketeers" and work on blanket projects. If you are a knitter or crocheter you might want to bring your own project. All supplies will be provided as well as snacks and a light lunch. You do not have to be a resident of Buncombe County to join in this fun day. If you have any questions, call Sharon Waltman at 828-645-7190 or Ellen Knoefel at 828-645-8800.
OPERATION PURPLE CAMP
This was mentioned in our last newsletter and the details are to be forth coming. Camp Purple is a week-long camp for military children to come together for a week of fun and to connect with other kids like themselves. Children who have had parents deployed, returning home injured or perhaps not coming home at all. One of these camps will be in Hendersonville at Camp Kanuga. During the two sessions they will host 200 campers and we have offered to provide them with a blanket for each child. The ages of the children are 7-16 so a large blanket is what will be needed. As you start to think about what you might wish to work on in the coming year, please keep this opportunity in mind.
JOANNS
We have received notice from our National Office that we are no longer able to use the Project Linus card for discounts at JoAnne's. Originally these were produced to help volunteers get a 10% off card. Unfortunately they were misunderstood and misused, ask when you are in the store how you can apply for their VIP card, which hasn't anything do with PL.
PLEASE DO NOT.....
....decorate your beautiful quilts with buttons, bows, wiggly eyes, and etc., that could come off and be swallowed by a child. Smell is another concern, as an odor in the blankets could cause harm to a child that has allergies or some type of respiratory problem. We must keep our blankets free from fabric softeners, smoke, musty smells, mildew, animal dander and etc.
If you would like to be on our email list, send your request to Helen McConnell at:
jhmcconnell@bellsouth.net
If you receive the newsletter by email and do not need to receive an in kind tax receipt, please let us know so that we can remove you from our mailing list and save the postage.
"How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. Sometime in life, you will have been all these".
BLANKET DROP OFF SITES
Asheville:
A.C. Moore Craft Store
River Ridge Shopping Center
Hendersonville:
Grace Lutheran Church
1245 Sixth Avenue, West
Joann Fabrics of Hendersonville
Blue Ridge Mall
1800 Four Seasons Blvd.
(leave at the cutting counter)
FOURTH QUARTER STATISTICS
In Out
October 339 353
November 291 254
December 387 327
4rd Quarter Totals: 1017 934
With these latest numbers, our local chapter has now distributed 60,150 blankets!
Number of knitted dolls donated and distributed
this quarter: 126
Weighted blankets donated to date: 835
CONTACTS:
Chapter Coordinator
Ellen Knoefel 828-645-8800
Buncombe County Contact
Sharon Waltman 828-645-7190
Cherokee, Clay, and Graham County Contact
Pam Carman 828-321-4172
Haywood County Contact
Mariam Howell 828-456-5154
Henderson County Contact
Helen McConnell 828-890-3067
Jackson and Macon County Contact
Ellen Knoefel 828-645-8800
Madison County Contact
Ellen Knoefel 828-645-8800
Mitchell County Contact
Ellen Knoefel 828-645-8800
Transylvania County Contact
Pat Crawford 828-883-8746
Yancey County Contact
Asta Jeffcoat 828-682-4373
National web site: www.projectlinus.org
WNC Chapter website: www.projectlinusofwnc.org