Click the picture to learn about our director, Peggy Albertson, winning the Jefferson Award.

Blankets Delivered: National HQ - - 3,011,944 blankets from 378 chapters

Our Numbers:  Blankets delivered since inception:  19,250

(April 21) - We've been delivering a lot of blankets over the last couple of months (our total is over 21,000) and unfortunately our supply is getting very low. We are in need of all sizes of blankets but we are particularly low on toddler, pre-teen and teen sizes. If you have blankets in the works or are motivated to pump some out, please get them to a drop-off site at your earliest convenience. Please remember to keep toddler blankets approximately 36" x 36" and pre-teen and teen around 50" x 60".

April Newsletter

SSSS

Sisters (and Brothers) of the Sew Sew ‘Hood,

Our Saturday is right around the corner!  Here’s hoping you’ve marked it on your calendar and are planning to join us for maybe the best Saturday ever.  We’ll be at the Project Linus House on Saturday, April 9th from 10 to 3.  As always, there’ll be something for everyone to do.  In addition to gearing up for the Fiber Arts Festival at the Salomon Farms in May, there are fleece blankets that need repaired and unfinished quilt tops yearning for completion.

There’ll be a prize for the person sporting the best homemade nametag depicting a Spring theme, and everyone who turns in a completed blanket will be eligible for the Spring Fling Door Prize.

Bring a sack lunch if you can spend the day with us, or plan on a sandwich from Arby’s or Subway.  See you Saturday!
- - Pauline

Update on boiler

I really don’t know where to start – it has all been such a whirlwind of excitement and activity.   First of all we want to thank Pauline Sobona for coming up with the idea and writing the letter for the “Fix the Furnace” campaign.   Next, we thank Frank Gray once again for writing such a great article about what we do and why it is so important for us to have the Project Linus House to work in, prepare orders and store our many supplies and equipment.  (If you remember, Frank Gray wrote a very effective article 5 years ago, which helped accomplish our move into the parsonage at the Salem United Church of Christ.)  We thank all the wonderful people who mailed donations toward the “Fix the Furnace” campaign, which we had to return.  Because…….  Jack Yahne (Yahne Heating and Air Conditioning) and the Rifkin Family Foundation generously donated their time, materials and all expenses to cover the entire project.   Best of all, the new boiler was installed last week!  Thank you, Salem United Church of Christ for giving us such a wonder “home” in which to continue to work to accomplish our mission.

Beauty Fundraising

For each purchase of popular Avon products from the Beauty Fundraising website, a 15% donation of the total cost of merchandise will be made to Project Linus.

You probably know Avon for their cosmetics, fragrance and skincare, but they also carry lines of jewelry, apparel, accessories and gifts ‘n gadgets. Their products are for the whole family.
Now you can purchase your favorite Avon Products AND support your local organization!

Here’s how it works:
Go to the website: http://www.beautyfundraising.com/
Select the "Register a Fundraiser Customer" link toward the upper right of the page.
Fill out the form with all of your information. Enter the fundraiser code for your organization in the "fundraiser code" field.
Complete the registration and then browse through the rest of the website. You can shop by brand, category or brochure
When checking out, select “DIRECT DELIVERY” and enter your credit card information
Your Avon products will be shipped to your door and 15% of the Total cost of merchandise will be donated to your organization.

Cookie Lee Fundraiser

Cookie Lee is Chairman of the Board and Chief of Design while her husband, John, is CEO of Cookie Lee.
Cookie Lee is one of the sponsors of the game show “The Price is Right.”  The models wear her jewelry.  Cookie and John have made appearances on Fox News Network, Good Morning America and the Today Show.
Cookie Lee has made monetary donations to the American Cancer Society, The American Red Cross, the country of Haiti, Katrina Relief Fund, The Tsunami Fund and to the American Heart Association.   Since 2004, all Cookie Lee Consultants have helped to raise $165,000 on the Hope & Support Jewelry Merchandise.
When doing a fundraiser for a charitable organization, church, hospital, individual or school, all I do is set up a cash and carry table.  I do accept checks and order that need to be paid for up front.  There is no presentation on my part.  It is very simple.  It is then that I pay you and give you 20% of the total sales.  If you are interested in a Cookie Lee fundraiser, please contact me.
Kat Liddy  260-747-0791

Camp Good Grief

Dear Coords.... Once again, I am asking you all to help with the annual Good Grief Camp Weekend over Memorial Day in Washington/Arlington area.  For the "newbies" this is an annual 5-day camp for the children who have lost a parent or sibling in the War. These "littlest heroes" are taught to "Remember the love,...Celebrate the life,...and Share the journey...of their lost loved lone.  Project
Linus has been a huge contributor to the efforts of TAPS by wrapping these young Americans in our blankets and quilts.  It is reported to me that this is a "star" event...the children just love our gifts to
them.

As usual, I will post online when to ship the quilts/blankets to Arlington.  I hope that this year, you all will ask your volunteers to support TAPS with their walk in the journey of healing.

Bonnie Carroll, Maj. USAF, was at Elmendor AFBase in Alaska, when her husband and the entire crew when down...she was the creator behind TAPS and her dedication to this mission...she is a hero herself.  I was stationed at the same USAF Base the day this happened.  I will never forget it.

Please open your hearts, ...and share your pride ...for those who need your hugs.

Thank you, Barb McLean, Coordinator North Idaho and Spokane WA Chapter

We will, once again, be participating in the program.   Red, White and Blue blankets are greatly appreciated.  If you have blankets to donate to this special cause, please make sure we receive them by the end of April.

Lapel Stick 

Eddie Diss from Eden Marketing, has donated to our chapter a case of Lapel Sticks – temporary fabric adhesive for quilting, sewing, crafting and embroidery.  Safe for all fabrics, it is water soluble and won’t gum up your machines.    Check it out at www.lapelstick.com  Lapel Sticks are available at Edwards Sewing Center. 

Skip Stitch Blade

Skip stitch blades are now available at Edwards Sewing Center.  Mention Project Linus and get a discount.

---

Thank you all for your continued support and the love and energy you put into each and every blanket we deliver to children in need.  Since April, 2004, we have put a smile on the faces of over 21,000 children in our community who were in crisis. 

Peggy Albertson
PROJECT LINUS Chapter Coordinator
Fort Wayne/NE Indiana Chapter
260/749-6595
pegalb@msn.com

Quiltmaker Magazine has been a supporter of Project Linus since 2000. It's hard to believe that they are working on their 10th pattern for Project Linus! We are always so thrilled to see the new pattern created by Quiltmaker Magazine for our National Make a Blanket Day and this year is no exception. Be sure to check the upcoming issues of Quiltmaker for the new Project Linus pattern! Although we can't spill the beans we can tell you that "the sky is the limit" when it comes to the 2010 pattern! If you haven't gone to Quiltmaker Magazine's website recently, they have undergone a facelift . On their site you can view and download all the previous years' Project Linus patterns:

http://www.quiltmaker.com/patterns/projectlinus.html

It's official! - - - - We won!

Our information is from Sue- Julie's Mom. Richard (we think the President of Avlyn) called Pieced Together Friday and told them that our 219 quilts were significantly more than our nearest competitor.

All that aside, we did it! Every minute that each of you contributed paid off in a BIG way! As Nancy suggests, think of it this way - Our group has more foresight and determination and more giving and energetic people than any other group in the United States - perhaps in the world! (Is Fons & Porter an international magazine?)

Is there anything we cannot together accomplish? We are so grateful to all of you, and proud to call you our friends.

Sincerely,
Pauline and Nancy

Thank you to all the wonderful people
who helped make 219 Komfort Kids Quilts!

Top row, left to right: Sandy Hellewege, Betsy Gemmer, Nancy Love, Shelly Gilliland, Teresa Wade, Lisa Clements Kathy Parrish

Middle row: Kay Crowder, Elaine Crowder, Joyce Pickett, Linda Balthaser, Jan Walters, Berne Breon, Diana Fisher, Lu Bultemeier, Pauline Sobona, Betty Somers, Kathy Calder

Front row: Peggy Albertson, Julie Smith

Not pictured: Silvan Krel, Anne Moll, Gretchen Hughes, Mary Chase, Janet Ahr, Linda Webster, Margaret Miller, Kerry Sobona, Deb Heath, Laurey Campain, Pauline Flynn, Toni Kring, Dianne Rapson, Rachel Prince, Deena Patten, Lucy Ninness, Jessie Bloom, Sharon Krinn, Vicki Fisher, Linda McCampbell, Janice Thieme, Judy Dewald, Janet Green, Colleen Hall and Jane Love…..and Salem United Church of Christ for allowing us to use the parsonage for our Project Linus House.

Click here to see the more pictures

Our Fifth Year Anniversary Celebration

Thank you to all who attended our anniversary celebration, helped with the preparation or made donations.  It was a beautiful day and we hope to continue to deliver blankets to children for many more years.  We also thank you for your continued support.   

Click here to read more and see the pictures.

 

We welcome your gifts or donations.  Examples of our needs are:   
 
45 or 60 mm rotary blades                                 . . . . .               4-ply washable yarn
1 ½ yard cut of fleece                                                                thread
F or G crochet hooks                                                                   fabric markers
fabric shears 
Gift cards:  Wal-Mart, JoAnn’s, Michaels, Hancock or Hobby Lobby