By Shelby Hartin
Student Intern
HOULTON — Project Linus, a national organization founded in 1998 and headquartered in Bloomington, Ill. has two goals in mind.
First is “to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer ‘blanketeers’.” Second is to offer a “rewarding and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups in local communities.”
With chapters in all 50 states, Project Linus has been successful in achieving these goals. One such successful chapter is located in Houlton and provides the community, the nation and the world with the comfort of a hand-made blanket.
Kim Hazlett and Karen Gallop are co-coordinators of the Houlton/Southern Aroostook chapter of Project Linus, which functions due to the help of volunteers, specifically those of the Friends and Needles Quilt Guild.
“Our quilt guild is 90 members strong and they’re the ones that act as volunteers toward this project as well as other community projects we’ve done,” said Hazlett.
The Friends and Needles Quilt Guild, which has been active since 1984, sponsored and formed a chapter of Project Linus nine years ago. Since then, the chapter has distributed over 1,200 blankets to children in need in Aroostook County.
“People provide the materials. We don’t have any funding in any way. It comes out of everybody’s own pockets,” Hazlett explained.
To date, the entirety of Project Linus has provided over four million blankets to children in need. The Houlton/Southern Aroostook chapter has assisted in the national and international need as well.
“Our chapter has been able to support the world,” said Hazlett, who cited various incidents across the nation and the world which Project Linus has provided for. Natural disasters comprise a significant need for the service that Project Linus offers. Any event that may be devastating in nature is addressed by the volunteers of this organization.
“We just sent blankets down to Sandy Hook for the children in the area,” Hazlett added.
The Houlton/Southern Aroostook chapter is never lacking in inventory, as the regular involvement of the quilt guild, as well as donations and scheduled “make a blanket” days keep the community well-provided for.
“[Our quilt guild is] wonderful about keeping our blanket cupboard full so we always have blankets to give to children in need in our area. We’ve always been able to supply […] the community,” said Hazlett.
Project Linus provides local hospitals and schools with blankets and is also available should an emergency occur.
“If there is a need, it always gets fulfilled,” Hazlett explained.
“[We aim to] give these children a hug through a blanket and show them that someone cares,” she added.
For more information about the Friends and Needles Quilt Guild and the Houlton/Southern Aroostook Chapter of Project Linus, or to inform the chapter of someone in need visit the guild’s website at www.friendsandneedles.org.
