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Attn: Deb Miller, 365 Dean Dr., Ten Mile, TN 37880

Phone: 865 719-2862 Email: Deb@ProjectLinusEastTN.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProjectLinusEastTN/ Website: www.projectlinuseasttn.org

The best kind of sleep under

heaven above, is under a blanket

handmade with love.

April 2005

January February 2018

Coordinator’s Corner: This month I am once again reminded of how our work is truly a group effort. A special thanks this month to Irene Hawker (my Mom) for promoting the sales of the Fairy Tale books that were donated to us. Besides selling books herself, she worked with friends to set up book sales in partnership with the Fairfield Glade Library. Thanks again to Teresa Chasteen and WIN for donating the books to us. Teresa and WIN also pay for our storage unit each month. We are blessed to have them as a Project Linus of East TN supporter. Please note we will be having the 2 Sewing Days in lieu of a Winter/Spring Meeting. We will have a Fall Meeting later this year. Details on the Sewing Days are inside. I’m sad to report the passing of long time volunteer Jean Fraker. Jean was with Dorcus Quilters – a lovely group of women that make blankets for us. We are sorry to learn about the failing health of long time volunteer Mary Edna Williams and appreciate her family ensuring the last blankets she will probably be able to make got to her intended destination – Project Linus. Please keep Mary Edna in your thoughts and prayers. We lost long time volunteer Helen Forbes in December. Please keep her family, friends and especially fellow Project Linus volunteers Ila Mae Morton and Dianna Mraz Kring in your thoughts and prayers. See inside for more regarding Helen. And, lastly, please keep volunteer Kelly Ann Hardwick in your thoughts and prayers. Kelly’s leukemia has returned. Blessings,

Deb Miller

Important Dates Sewing Days: January 20th at in Lenoir City

and March 10th in Oak Ridge

See inside for details

• Mara and Tom Eckhardt for help with

deliveries/pick-ups, mailings of blankets,

supplies and MANY other things!

• Tom Eckhardt for building and maintaining

our website!

• Doris Cole for donating postage and mailing the

newsletter, and much much more.

• Karen Eidson for help sewing labels and all the

special extras she does for our group.

• Judy Dowker and Missy Dowker Green for

help fixing blankets, sewing labels and much

more.

• Denette Flynn, Debbie Petree, Chris

Tiller/ETHRA and Jamie Stringer for help

with deliveries/pickups.

• Helen Forbes for all the extra things she does to

support PL.

• The staff at the TN Career Centers in Lenoir

City

• Patti Stewart for help with deliveries, shopping,

cutting fabric and much more!

• Annhara Henderson for help with sewing

labels, mailing labels, PL correspondence,

JoAnne’s Discount cards, fixing blankets,

deliveries, speaking engagements and more.

• My mom Irene Hawker for delivery and pick-up

of blankets in Cumberland County.

• Bev Abele for ongoing volunteer and fundraising

efforts including serving as a drop-off site.

• Karen and John Feltner for help finishing and

fixing blankets, assisting at meetings, hosting

sewing days, delivering blankets and more.

• Sandy Rees for all her extra help.

• Teresa Chasteen and WIN for paying for the

PL storage unit each month

Financial Donations:

Marie Norman in memory of Jean Fraker

Gail Sharp

Annhara Henderson

Mara and Tom Eckhardt “in honor of our

grandchildren”

Books Sales

Donations: (November/December)

Sorry these were missed in the last newsletter:

Helen Low: 2 blankets

Barbara Kahlow: 7 blankets

Barbara Roberts: 83 blankets and hats

Anonymous: 5 blankets

Betty Anderson: 12 blankets

Terry Doll: 10 blankets

Atomic Fibers: Pillowcases

Barb Troxel: 1 blanket

Kim Mosier: 4 blankets

Helen Forbes/Kim Mosier: 7 blankets

John Crandall: 1 blanket

Helen Forbes: 1 blanket

Heather Pelham: Fabric

Barbara Sage and Stephanie Hannah: 3 blankets

Carolyn Lawson: 3 blankets

Mary Edna Williams: 50 blankets

Concord United Methodist Church: 20 blankets

Paulette Enger: yarn

Freida Dale: 5 blankets

Jill McMaster: 1 blanket

Ellen Womersley: 2 blankets and yarn

Joyce Moody: 3 blankets

Mary Gorski: 1 blanket

Kathy Minter: 10 blankets

Kathi Van Houten: 4 blankets

Anonymous: 25 blankets

Anonymous: 6 blankets left at Yarn Patch

Barbara Roberts: 14 blankets and hats

Deb Miller: 1 blanket

MariBeth McHone (Helen Forbes’ niece): 50 blankets

Cindy Corona: 9 blankets

If I missed thanking you for a donation, please accept

my apologies and let me know so I can recognize you

next time! Sometimes we get behind in picking up

and unpacking blankets – please don’t be offended;

just let me know and we will be sure to get your

items logged in and passed on to recipient

organizations.

- Deb

Your Donations of Blankets and Other Items Truly Make A Difference in the Lives of Area Children.

PLET has recently or will soon be delivering donated items to the following recipient

organizations: ❖ Ronald McDonald House: (Jan) ❖ East TN Children’s Medical Center– Knoxville: (Jan) ❖ UT Medical Center–Knoxville: (Feb) ❖ Hope Resource Center: ❖ Children’s Center of the Cumberlands (Scott): ❖ Community Health of East TN (Campbell): ❖ Campbell County Children’s Center: ❖ Kids First Child Advocacy Center - 9th Judicial District

(Loudon/ Meigs/Morgan/Roane): ❖ Mission of Hope: 11 blankets and hats ❖ Clinch Valley Childrens Center (Anderson Cty): ❖ Smoky Mountain Children’s Home – Sevierville: ❖ Smoky Mountain Family Matters – Sevierville: ❖ Roane Medical Ctr./Covenant: 30 blankets & pillowcases ❖ Avalon Center–Cumberland County: ❖ Cumberland Medical Ctr: ❖ CHILDHELP USA (East TN): ❖ Helen Ross McNabb: (Jan) ❖ Methodist Medical Center – Oak Ridge: ❖ Blount Memorial - Maryville: (Dec) 7 special request

blankets ❖ IVA’s Place: ❖ Susannah’s House – Knox County: ❖ Tenth Judicial District Childrens Advocacy Center - The

H.O.P.E. Center: ❖ Snowball Express (Dec): 50 blankets ❖ Luminary Methodist Church Community Outreach and

Angel Tree: Hats and Pillowcases ❖ Special Requests: 8 blankets and hats

Blanket Stats/Donations to Children: Nationally since December 1995: 6,673,024

2017 Goal: 2,138 blankets

Goal Since April 2003: 30,000

We OVERACHIEVED our Goal and donated 2,306 blankets in 2017 for

a total of 30,168 since April 2003 !

Special Request: Toni Carringer from Atomic Fibers has a daughter serving in the Navy. She’s on board ship and a bit lonely. She's keeping busy working on a hand project, a hexagon quilt. She needs more fabric pieces. We all have scraps of fabric laying around. If you’d like, please send her a card in the mail with 2 or 3 five inch fabric charms (5” x 5”) to add to her quilt. Her favorite color is purple but she loves bright colors and especially batiks fabrics. It might take a while for them to arrive, but they will arrive in about 2-3 weeks. If you don't have fabric laying around, sending a card would be awesome, too. Her mailing address is: Carringer, Kendra R. LSSN USS O Kane DDG 77 Unit 100189 Box 113 FPO AP 96674 The first quilt Kendra made about 3 years ago she gave to Project Linus! Thanks!

2018 Goal: 2,332 Blankets for a total of 32,500 since April 2003

Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores Offers Non-Profit Discount Card to PL Volunteers Project Linus blanketeers are eligible for 10% discount at Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores when making Project Linus blankets! Following are the enrollment details. Remember, you must also have a Project Linus Membership Card (see below). If you already have the JoAnn’s discount card, you should not have to get a new one unless it has expired. 1. Visit the web page to sign up: http://www.joann.com/discountcardform/ 2. Enter "Project Linus" in the Organization Name box 4. Enter your information (Name, Address, Email...) and follow the online directions 5. Your Non-Profit Discount Card will arrive in the mail within 3-4 weeks 6. Take your Non-Profit Discount Card, Photo ID and Project Linus Membership Card to your nearest Jo-Ann Store for validation 7. Save 10% on every* purchase! *exclusions apply.

• MOST Jo-Ann’s cards EXPIRE in August. You must go back on the Jo-Ann’s site and order a new card. You do NOT need a new Project Linus membership card.

• Questions or needs for assistance should be directed to the store manager.

• *Note: Each Jo-Ann’s store seems to administer the 10% a little differently. You “might” get it off some sale items but “maybe” not. They “might” be picky about whether your purchase is for Project Linus or “maybe not”.

You will just need to be happy with any discount they give you. 😊

• PL Membership ID Card: If you need a Project Linus Membership Card, send Deb Miller an email or note, requesting one. Please include your name and address in the request. You do NOT NEED to renew these cards.

• IF you have a current PL Membership ID Card, PLEASE use a black Sharpie or other pen and scratch out the EIN # on it. It has caused some confusion at some of the JoAnn’s stores. You should NOT get a tax exemption on your purchase.

Project Linus Blanketeer: Helen Forbes by Deb Miller

Helen lost her brave battle with cancer in December. I first met Helen when I took over the chapter in 2003. Little did I know she’d become a good friend. She was the first one I’d call when PL hit a milestone like our recent 30,000 blankets donated. She attended every meeting and many other events until this past Fall when her health began to fail. Helen relentlessly shopped garage, yard and estate sales for fabric and yarn. She recruited volunteers everywhere she went and brought her family into the fold in also making PL blankets. Helen talked to everyone about PL – including the guy that does her yard work. In turn, he talked about it to other women that he worked for and new volunteers were recruited thru this link. In about 2005, I called Helen and told her I had a problem – I needed somewhere for Beth Haynes and WBIR to film a news clip about PL. She said “bring them over”. I said how about 10 AM tomorrow morning and she said “sure”. Later I learned she stayed up most the night, recruited others to help, and when we got there in the AM, she had PL quilts hanging on her walls, food prepared, quilts in progress set out, and much more. The news story was a huge success from which we recruited new volunteers. Helen did so much more for PL than making quilts.

As I said earlier, I considered Helen a good friend. When my husband was ill and then passed away, Helen was always just a phone call away. She’d “check in” on me regularly. I always knew she’d be up late and I could call and chat with her on those lonely late nights. She kept me focused on Project Linus and reminded me about how much it helped her get through when she lost her husband. She’d remind me – “you are a Miller, you can do this”. So, I wasn’t surprised when I visited her in the hospital, she’d say, “I’m a Forbes, I can do this”.

Rest in peace my dear friend – and remember, the best kind of sleep under heaven above, is under a blanket handmade with love.

Website, Facebook and Newsletter You can now access lots of information on the website – links to patterns, drop off locations, newsletters, pictures,

and more. Check it out at www.projectlinuseasttn.org .

It is very easy to go to the website to get your newsletter each month. Just go to the site, click on the newsletter link

(left column and center of page) and download the newsletter.

I am not going to email out the newsletter to the newsletter distribution list unless you can’t make the link work. I

will send you a reminder each month when the newsletter is loaded on the website. If you can’t make it work, let me

know and I’ll send you the newsletter via email.

For those of you that are getting the newsletter via the U.S. Mail, if you can access the newsletter via the website

and no longer need to have the newsletter mailed to you via the postal service, just let me know.

Don’t forget to also sign-up on Facebook for more information. You can search for it under Project Linus of East

Tennessee or access it at the following link:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Project-Linus-of-East-Tennessee/159217337546849

Blanket Beacon: This is the national Project Linus quarterly newsletter. If you have not signed up to receive it, please

go to www.projectlinus.org. It is ONLY available by email. It has some great information. I encourage you to sign-up

for it.

Each year Project Linus teams with the Moving Forward Mary-thon participants for an exciting year of fitness fun! We would love to invite you to join us! Not sure? Please read on and who knows? You may find this is JUST what you need to get you motivated and fit in 2018 and help Project Linus in the process. We are also excited to announce that we have an exciting new addition to our already successful Full and Half Mary-thon events called the 100 Day Dash! Keep reading... (Remember...NO RUNNING REQUIRED)

Here are your choices: 1. The Full or Half Mary-thon: "Mary-thoners" commit to 30 minutes of exercise per day (your choice of exercise), either 5 days a week (for full mary-thoners) or 3 days a week (for half mary-thoners) for 26 weeks. You are given 30 weeks to accomplish this, so there is some wiggle room for sickness, vacations, etc! 2. The Mary-thon 100 Day Dash: "Dashers" are committing to 30 minutes of exercise (your choice of exercise) for any 100 days within their 140 day window. This allows for flexibility with those who have trouble fitting in 3 or 5 days of exercise each week on a regular basis. Once our "Dashers" have completed their 100 days, they report in and receive their medal. Depending on the success of the Dash, we may have two 100 Day Dashes during 2018. We'll see! So, you commit to a 26 week exercise program and our Mary-thon Team will encourage you, applaud you and award you a beautiful finishers medal and prize when you've crossed your finish line! AND...Project Linus receives a portion of the proceeds for every premium registration.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER or learn more Or go to our website: www.mary-thon.net Keep Moving Forward!

Mary, Rachel and Hannah Your Mary-thon Team

Help Project Linus of East TN by shopping at Kroger. For more information and to sign-up go to: http://www.projectlinuseasttn.org/home/kroger This does NOT cost you anything, you still get your Kroger Rewards Points AND you get to help PL of East TN, too! If you THINK you’ve signed up, please check the bottom of your Kroger receipt. If it doesn’t say Project Linus of East TN, please sign up again or ask for assistance at the Kroger Customer Service desk.

Wish List ▪ Stamps and Gas Cards ▪ Yarn (bright child friendly colors – washable) ▪ Fleece (1 ½ to 2 yard pieces) – All children’s

patterns, bright colors, camouflage, military patterns, etc. are needed.

▪ We NEED $$$: We always welcome financial donations to help with PL expenses including publishing the newsletter, brochures, buying labels for the blankets, mailing blankets such as those for the TAPS program. If you want to make a donation, please send it to Deb. We’d prefer a gift card (Staples, Target, Walmart, K-Mart, etc.), or check made out to Project Linus or cash.

▪ Project Linus of East TN now has a Go Fund Me page. This is an easy way to donate to help us with our mission. Please share this page/link with your friends and family and consider donating. Thanks. https://www.gofundme.com/project-linus-of-east-tennessee

▪ Online Donations can be made at the national website: www.projectlinus.org Be sure to scroll down to the comment box and designate the Project Linus of East TN chapter as the recipient for your donation.

▪ Remember Project Linus is a 501c3 Non-Profit Organization. Be sure to check with your tax advisor regarding applicable tax deductions.

▪ Amazon Users: AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support Project Linus every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you'll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization. The easiest way to shop at AMAZON SMILE and make sure that your purchase benefits Project Linus is to click through the link at the bottom on our home page at projectlinus.org Or, you can simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device. You may also want to add a bookmark to AmazonSmile to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile.

▪ If your employer provides matching funds for contributions or contributions for your volunteer hours, Project Linus of East TN would appreciate you thinking of us.

What are Blanket Cards? A blanket card is a small business size card that you can attach to blankets that you make with a message to the child receiving the blanket. You can simply put your first name or group name on the card or, if you want, you can flip it over and add a message. Please do NOT put your last name. This is to protect you.

These cards are designed to help the children we serve understand there is a human being on the other end of the blanket that made it for them. If a thank you note is sent that identifies who made the blanket, we will include that information when we put the thank you note in the newsletter and on the website.

If you want to include blanket cards with your blankets (not required), just send me an email or leave a message. Include the # of cards you want (approximately enough for a year). Then when you make a blanket, complete the card and attach it before donating it to Project Linus. Cards can be attached by punching a hole in them or making a hole with a darning needle then pass a piece of yarn through the card and the blanket and tie it to the blanket. You can also safety pin them on to a blanket. Then, fold the blanket with the card to the inside. PLEASE NO STRAIGHT PINS.

Remember to put your blankets inside a bag (more than one blanket in a bag is fine), put your name in the bag and drop your blankets at a drop off location. If you have questions, just let Deb know.

Thinking of You

To those of you that have lost loved ones recently,

our sympathies are with you.

To those of you that are ill, we hope you are feeling better soon.

MORE Project Linus THANK YOU’s: Lynne Attaway: 3 blankets Sandy Rea: 11 blankets Pleasant Ridge Ward – Church of Jesus Christ of

Ladder-Day Saints (Cheryll Dyer): 2 blankets Chris Parker: 1 blanket Anonymous: 11 flannel blankets Anonymous: 4 blankets (left at Twisted Sisters) Park West Quilters: 1 blanket Anonymous: 6 blankets Helen Forbes/Dianna Kring/Ila Mae Morton: 28

quilts Sandy Rees: 15 blankets Kathy Minter: 6 blankets Irene Hawker: 1 blanket Susan Hannah: 2 quilt tops Irene Hawker: Finished a partially knitted

blanketed donated to PL

More Info About Project Linus:

You Tube is a great site website. Go to it and

search Project Linus. It's amazing what you

will find. The national video and song detailed below,

lots of videos on making PL crocheted edge and other

blankets, etc. Take a few minutes to explore it - you will

find some great information.

Did you know the Project Linus Theme Song

is Covered in Love? You can hear it on You Tube at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUAw2bSjSvg

This is a great video to share with family,

friends and co-workers to let them know

about Project Linus. Worth the Watch!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsxjK3VjJjo

Double-Layered Fleece Blankets: We have a

VERY limited need for these blankets. Please do not make

these without checking with Deb first. Fleece is expensive

and you can make twice the number of blankets making

single layered fleece blankets. There are some great ideas

and patterns on the website and by searching the internet

including:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8_qRIu5Aq0&featur

e=youtu.be

Pictures of Blankets: Are you looking for blanket ideas or just want to see what

others are doing? Be sure to check out the website and

Facebook page for pictures of recently donated blankets

and blanket patterns.

Project Linus of East TN Blanket Making Sewing Day

(Plz RSVP to Deb if attending - see below)

Hosted by Karen Feltner

Saturday, January 20th 9 AM to 3 PM

Bring your own lunch/snacks (drinks and paper products provided/fridge,

Microwave & stove available)

Ironing Boards/Irons will be provided Plenty of fabric available or bring your own

Cutting mats available, but may want to bring one and cutting tools

Bring your own machine. If you don't have one, we will have a couple available.

Can't sew? Don't know how to make a

blanket? Can only come for an hour or two? All that is okay. We will have stuff for

everyone to do.

Oral Baptist Church 4850 Kingston Highway Lenoir City TN Karen's cell is

865 254 6537 if someone needs directions. It is on Hwy 70 about 7 miles from Gallaher Road

intersection w/Hwy 70 in Roane County. About 4 miles from Eatons Crossroads which is intersection of 321 (Loudon County) and Hwy

70.

Please RSVP: Please respond via the Facebook event, email or call Deb if you are planning on

attending so we can make sure we have enough room, drinks, etc. Deb's # is 865 719 2862.

Project Linus of East TN Blanket Making Sewing Day

(Plz RSVP to Deb if attending - see below)

Hosted by Atomic Fibers 103 W. Tennessee Avenue

Oak Ridge, TN

Saturday, March 10th

10 AM to 3 PM Atomic Fibers has graciously agreed to host a Sewing Day on March 10th in their new expanded space at their Oak Ridge shop. We will have plenty of room to spread out, sew blankets, tie quilts, label blankets, and more. We will have several activities planned including info about Project Linus, example blankets that work well for Project Linus, the opportunity to talk to current volunteers and get all of your questions answered, time to work on your projects and more. You may bring your sewing machines or bring your knitting/crocheting along. We will have a few machines available and some fabric if you don’t have a project to work on. Also a great day to drop off your finished quilts or blankets or donated fabric and yarn. Drinks and ice will be provided. Feel free to bring your own lunch. There are plenty of restaurants nearby if you want to run out and get something. Hope to see you there! Please RSVP to Deb Miller with questions Deb@ProjectLinusEastTN.org or 865 719-2862 .