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Project Linus Phoenix / West Valley Chapter

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CONTACT

Eveline Buck

pl.evebuck@gmail.com

623-572-9365

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January 2023

Greetings and Happy New Year!

I have no idea where the last few weeks have gone! Time has flown by, and the first week of January is over! We will be ‘back in business’ in a few weeks. I had started this newsletter before Christmas, needless to say I have deleted a few paragraphs!

It’s been a busy few weeks for our Chapter of Project Linus. Our last drop off of the year was November 26th. We collected 405 blankets and donated 872.

We donated 50 blankets to Billy’s Place for their Winter Wonderland event. We had already donated 66 to them in May for their event. When we first started donating to them, they only needed 50! Billy’s Place is a Grief Counseling facility, so many children have lost a loved one.
The Arizona Rangers (they have a bbq party for the children of Sunshine Acres) took 85.
Shop With a Cop with Peoria PD was fabulous. They had 50 children participate. So much fun for the children and the adults.
Sleep In Heavenly Peace, were able to hang 20 Fiesta Bowl colored Project Linus blankets on their float during the Fiesta Bowl Parade. Thank you to those of you that donated these special blankets.

It has been a fantastic year for our Chapter. Finally being able to have the Blanketeers stay and chat for a little while as they drop off their blankets. No meetings, just a drop off day. The meetings were fun but a lot of work - and as I am getting older, I need to make things easier for myself and for my ‘team’. The new way of ‘meeting’ is working out very well. For those of you that have supported me over the years, you have noticed the changes in the ‘meeting’ room. No room for a full ‘Bee’. I am not going to look for a new facility, we are lucky to have our ‘free’ space for storage etc. I do hope to have a couple of ‘special’ days throughout the year. Maybe a make a quilt day and a crochet/knit day.

As most of you know, at this time of the year I have to do a report for National.
Total blankets collected for the year 6,372
Total blankets donated for the year 7,174
Now for the best news - since I took over the Chapter in March of 2010 (I don’t have numbers from before then) we have donated, drum roll please, maybe I should just wait, ok, the grand total is 69,530 ! For those of you that know me, yes there were tears! What a fantastic number! This means that we will reach 70,000 the early part of 2023. Just think of all the children that have received some extra love. On the rare occasion that I have witnessed a child receiving a blanket, it’s wonderful to see their faces light up! They are thrilled and the older children are amazed that someone has created a blanket, just for them.

Drop off days will be continuing, the last Saturday of every month. Please remember, if there are five Saturdays in the month, it will still be the last one. The address for the drop off day - 17621 N 25th Avenue. Hours - 9:00 to 12:30.

I am so grateful to my ‘team’ for all their hard work, making our Chapter so successful. We meet half way through the month to prepare for drop off day and of course we are working on drop off day. Thank you, friends, for all you do!

It is that time of the year again. The part of my ‘job’ as Coordinator that I dislike the most. As you know, we have to raise $500 every year to be able to keep our Project Linus Chapter open. This money, in part, is kept for our use, to buy labels, literature, plastic bags, printing ink, blanket making supplies etc. National keeps 20% of our donation for insurance, licensing etc. So, for the past 10 years or so, I have asked for donations instead of trying to raise the money needed. I’m sure you have all noticed prices of everything is increasing. This also affects P. L. I think a $20 donation from each will help us to raise our $500. Of course, if you would like to donate more, I would appreciate it.

If you shop at Fry’s please add Project Linus, Phoenix West Valley Chapter to their community rewards program. We get a reward every 3 months. We receive at least $150 a year, a small, easy way of raising extra money.

We are still collecting soda can tab tops for Ronald McDonald house. Also, we continue to collect feminine hygiene products for the teens that cannot attend school one week a month, because they don’t have supplies. Where are we sending these items - Phoenix! Yes, here in our valley, there is this problem and our donations will be used locally.

We are lucky that we have new people show an interest in Project Linus, checking out the website and reading the newsletters. So, for those of you that have read the next few sentences before, please bear with me as I repeat some of our rules.

1. Please use 100% cotton fabric, in child friendly prints.
2. Please remember the blankets are for children, from birth to age 18, so appropriate patterns. 3. No seasonal or religious themes.
4. 100% acrylic yarn that can be machine washed AND dried.
5. Baby blankets need to be at least 36” x 36” or 36” x 40”, babies grow! Again, child friendly colors, age appropriate! No black, brown, dark baby blankets.
6. When crocheting or knitting your blankets please weave in 6” tails, forwards and backwards. Please do not just tie a knot, these knots come apart in the wash.
7. Fleece - no double fleece, or blankets with knots. If you want to use fleece, please check the pattern on the website for no-sew fleece blankets. It’s an easier way of creating fleece blankets. Again, child appropriate, no seasonal or religious themes.
8. Fleece may be edged with a crocheted border using acrylic yarn.
9. Flannel may be used.
10. Please do not use the new blanket / chenille yarns - we have discovered that this yarn is not suitable for frequent washings, and not child appropriate.
11. PLEASE, PLEASE, keep your pets away from your blankets. Pet hair and dander cannot be removed from crocheted / knitted, fleece or flannel, the hair gets stuck and woven in. Unfortunately, we receive some beautiful blankets that are completely covered and I am sad to let you know that these blankets have to be thrown away. We cannot donate pet hair covered blankets, or blankets that have offensive odors. So many children have severe allergies and we cannot take the risk of a child being affected by one of these blankets.

I am thrilled, grateful and happy. So many of you donating to this wonderful cause. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your ‘hard’ work, your kindness, your continued support and dedication. I am looking forward to another great year of donating blankets to children in crisis, making a difference, some extra love when they need it most!

I hope to see you on January 28th.

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