20 years of Project Linus

PORT CLINTON — One of the important missions of Firelands Presbyterian Church is Project Linus. Since May 2004, a group of 17 active sewers have made about 2,500 quilts and blankets for ill or traumatized children. On June 2, a total of 117 quilts will be given to Akron Children's Hospital where gravely ill or injured children from 25 northern Ohio counties are served. Christine Fleissner, the volunteer project coordinator for the Akron chapter of Project Linus, has processed more than 80,000 quilts and blankets such as those from the needlewomen of Firelands Church, 2626 E. Harbor Road, Port Clinton. It is due to the efforts of the current quilters and blanket-makers that Project Linus has grown to such a successful mission under the leadership of Maxine Wilson. All sewers donate their fabric, yarn and time, and the batting is donated by the church. Firelands members include Connie Brand, Ginger Brown, Mary Caracci, Jo Coon, Karen Dapper, Anita Fisher, Deb Flora, Kay McIntosh, Karen Salzgeber, Marilyn Umlauf, Sally Wahlers, Jean Witkowski, Maxine Wilson and external friends Kaye Elliott, Pat Hinds, Jana McAllister and Marie Ripich. In describing the commitment of the participants of Project Linus, Wilson simply cites a quote from Mother Teresa. "We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop." Project Linus is a nonprofit dedicated to "providing security through blankets". Nationally, Project Linus has donated more than 9.3 million handmade blankets to help comfort children in need in hospitals, hospices and shelters. Project Linus has chapters in every state in the U.S. Inspired by a picture of a 3-year-old cancer patient holding her security blanket, Project Linus was begun in 1995 by Karen Loucks, who named the project after the adorable security blanket-toting character from the "Peanuts" comic strip. People can learn more information about the organization at projectlinus.org or locally by calling Wilson at 419-265-2835 for additional insight about Project Linus at Firelands Presbyterian Church. "If you would like to sponsor a quilt for Project Linus, please make your tax-deductible contribution payable to Firelands Presbyterian Church and indicate 'Project Linus' in the memo line," according to an organizational statement. "Your financial support for helping to sponsor this project is gratefully accepted," it read. "A blanket or quilt is like a big hug when a child needs one. Founded in 1982, Firelands Presbyterian Church continues to grow in mission and in program." In addition to Project Linus, the church also operates an emergency food pantry inside the church, supports th pay-it-forward restaurant Bistro 163 and more.