Project Linus was started on

Christmas Eve, 1995, by a Colorado woman named Karen Loucks, who saw a

striking photo of a little girl in a magazine. Three-year-old Laura Williams

was undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, and was shown clutching her "security"

blanket, which helped her endure the treatments. Karen, who had recently

learned to crochet, wondered if other such children would also like a

blanket, so she called the Rocky Mountain Children's Cancer center and

asked if they would like some, and they said, "Yes!"

The movement spread and grew,

and now there are close to 300 chapters scattered all over the U.S., with

five in the metro Atlanta area alone. Project Linus is an all-volunteer

organization, and solicits churches, craft groups, scout troops, schools,

senior centers, and interested individuals to make crocheted, knitted,

quilted, or tied blankets.

The need is ongoing and continual,

and facilities that are served are hospitals, children's shelters, funeral

homes, and on and on. The ages range from premature infants to teens,

for they are children as well, and still need a warm hug in times of crisis.

When the Columbine High School

shooting occurred, Karen Loucks from Project Linus was there, handing

out blankets to the shattered teens, who clung to them in the aftermath.

When the tornadoes ripped through southwest Georgia, the closest chapter

coordinator asked for blankets, and received nearly 200, which were mailed

to her from other chapters.

When the mother of a 6-year-old

boy was killed at Home Depot in Morrow, I took several blankets to the

funeral home (some for later use for other grieving children). When I

heard about a little boy who fell into a still-smoldering outdoor fire

pit, I gave his aunt a blanket for him. When a friend mentioned that a

coworkers son was facing serious surgery to remove a tumor behind his

sinuses, I took him a blanket to give to the father.

And, yes, I was able to gather

30 or so blankets to ship to the New York City area recently for the children

of those who were killed in the World Trade Center catastrophe. My husband's

employer, Dade Behring, boxed them for me and paid the shipping costs.

Now, lest anyone think that

I make all these blankets myself, I get most of them from faithful volunteers

who share this vision. I would like to highlight one of them, the lady

who has made more blankets than anyone in my chapter over the past few

years. She is a "senior" who cranks out six to 10 a month for

me, and has probably made well over 100. Her name is Susan Rosa, and she

lives in Peachtree City.

I don't know what I would do

without her and her beautiful crocheted ripple afghans. They are just

the right size for the "average" kid that comes through the

doors of a place like the Rainbow House in Clayton County, which gets

many of the blankets. She deserves special recognition. I have taken her

out to lunch and given her a few tokens of gratitude, but I am so grateful

for the opportunity to pay her special honor through this newspaper.

I could use a few more like

her, for I still cannot meet all the needs of the Rainbow House, let alone

other facilities I would like to serve. I would like to be able to send

some more to NYC, too. So if anyone else out there would like to make

blankets for a hurting child, you can call me at 770-716-9968. The blankets

must be new, handmade, and washable. As far as size, approximately 40

inches by 60 inches is about the right size for the "average"

kid, some of whom are young teen boys!

I believe in what I am doing,

and am hoping that others of you will too. That would make my Christmas

so special, and would make life just a little happier for so many hurting

children.

Thank you, Citizen Newspaper,

for giving me the opportunity to share this vision.

Judy Simpson

Fayetteville

[email protected]

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