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| 11/2/2007 11:04:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | Linus Connection donates 24,000th blanket in October
By BEVERLY NORD
Special to the Leader
Linus Van Pelt from the Peanuts comic strip had a small controversy about when his birthday was. It was Nov. 11 in one comic strip and sometime in October in another. Maybe Stephanie Sabatini knows for sure.
In 1999, Sabatini founded the Linus Connection. She wanted to have an organization that was small enough be on a personal level and 100 percent local for distribution.
On Oct. 20, the Linus Connection celebrated its eighth birthday.
Project Linus, the original Linus blanket organization, is based in Illinois. There is now a local chapter of Project Linus in Georgetown that has been in existence since 2004. Both organizations supply handmade blankets to children (up to age 17) who are ill, at risk or in other crisis situations. With both organizations now in the area, there is less chance of anyone in need not to receive a Linus blanket.
In addition to a birthday party, there was the Third Annual Blanket Challenge. When you see the material and yarn the ladies had to work with, you will know why it was called a challenge. The competing blankets were on display at the meeting and were donated to the Linus Connection after the contest.
A vote was taken. There were two first-prize winners and two second-prize winners, for the best fabric quilt and best yarn blanket. The first prize winners received a gift certificate to Honey Bee Quilt Store or Blue Bonnet Yarn Shoppe in Cedar Park. Second prize winners received gift certificates to Walmart.
First prize for yarn went to Keith Brown. Second prize for yarn went to Sharon Kyslovwsky. First prize for quilted blanket went to Stephanie Sabatini. Second prize for quilted blanket went to Sukie Jordan.
I became aware of the Linus Connection through my neighbor, Dorothy Zander. She showed me the quilts that she made for the little ones. From then on, I would pick up material that called out to me, "I want to be in a Linus quilt."
To date, 24,000 blankets have been distributed in the Central Texas area. This year 2,714 have been distributed and plans are made to beat the 4,116 total from 2006. I bet they succeed.
The group meets the third Saturday of every month at St. Philip's Methodist Church at 16321 Great Oaks Drive in Round Rock. From 9 - 11 a.m., blankets are collected, sorted and prepared for distribution.
There are no dues to belong to the group. Some, like my neighbor Dorothy, belong to one of the four Linus circles that meet in Cedar Park, Georgetown, Liberty Hill and Wimberly. Dorothy marvels at the organization and amount of materials available for the blanket making ladies. So many ladies want to sew, crochet or knit, but may not have anyone to make a blanket for. That is where the Linus Connection comes in.
Members get the ladies hooked up with materials and grateful recipients. Some ladies like to cut the cloth, some sew, some crochet, some knit and some just want to quilt. Whatever your calling, this organization has a place for you. If you are like me, and just want to donate, that is fine, too.
All donations are tax deductible since it is a nonprofit organization. Gift cards to yarn and fabric stores as well as material and yarn are gratefully appreciated. Everything received goes toward the blankets for kids.
The term "security blanket" was coined in 1954 by the character from the Peanuts comic strip. His blanket was blue but the Linus Connection blankets come in a rainbow of colors. Linus never lost faith in his blanket when odds were against him.
Charles Schultz may be gone but he likely would be proud of what he inspired in both Linus groups. The mission of the Linus Connection is to provide a handmade security blanket to every child who is in a crisis or in an at-risk situation in Central Texas.
There are approximately 30 organizations that receive blankets from the Linus Connection and more than 20 for Project Linus. The top four recipients this year for Linus Connection are Austin State Hospital (child and adolescent psychiatric service), Brackenridge Medical Center, Austin Children's Shelter and Dell Children's Hospital PICU.
The top four local recipients for Project Linus are the American Red Cross, Dell Children's Hospital, Ronald McDonald House and the Williamson County Advocacy Center. Sabatini (Linus Connection) and Diane Whitehouse (Project Linus) contributed information for this article.
For more information check out Linus Connection.org.
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