Greensburg, IN — After retiring from a busy career in post-secondary education, Connie Adelman found she wasn’t one for much lounging around or television watching. But she did like crocheting.
Wanting to channel that talent into a good cause, she discovered “Project Linus” during an Internet search. The national organization with local chapters provides new, handmade, washable blankets to be given as gifts to seriously ill and traumatized children, ages 0-18. It wasn’t long before the resident of Lake Santee applied for — and was granted — a chapter for Decatur, Franklin and Ripley counties.
The group – initially comprised of mostly members of the Lake Santee Women’s Club — began meeting in January and making blankets. And more blankets. And MORE blankets! By April, the group had created 56 blankets, from fleece “tie” blankets to a mix of crochet and fleece to crocheted and knitted afghans. To date, 30 blankets have been donated to Decatur County Memorial Hospital’s ER, in-patient and out-patient surgery and EMS.
While she was initially concerned about how to get the organization up and running … and successful …those concerns quickly faded. “I put something on my Facebook page and suggested to the club that we do these blankets. That’s grown to a relative in Ohio who has been making them for us and countless other people who really seem to enjoy it.” Meanwhile, the group has received a Walmart Community Grant and other donations with which they can buy materials for the blankets.
Anyone can be a “blanketeer” (the fond moniker for the volunteers crafting the blankets). Always remember that blankets must be new handmade, washable, free of pins, and come from smoke-free environments due to allergy reasons. There’s even a dropbox at the Decatur County Public Library for collecting the Project Linus blankets.
If you are interested in donating your time, talent or treasure to Project Linus, contact Connie at [email protected].
(Decatur County Memorial Hospital press release) 
