Students aid ‘My Very Own Blanket’ project

Students from Oberlin High School’s Interact Club and College Credit Plus program took part in the “My Very Own Blanket” project where they put together blankets to help those in need, according to a news release from the school. The organization aims to warm the heart of every child in the foster care system with a blanket.

In early March, the Oberlin Rotary Club purchased no-sew fleece blanket kits — the kits arrived unfinished with the students being required to cut the fringe and then tie the fringes to create “tied blankets,” said Interact Club Advisor Sarah Colson in the release.

“Oberlin Rotary asked if the Interact Club and College Credit Plus students could assist in finishing the blankets. Locally finished blankets stay in Lorain County and are given to children in foster care,” she said.

But what started out as a few blankets doubled; and that is where Oberlin High School’s Art Teacher Whitney Brown stepped in with her Art and Wellness Class, the school reported.

“Art and Wellness is a new elective class this year and Ms. Brown received a very enthusiastic response from her class to help finish the blankets,” Colson said in the release.

According to Brown, all the students loved helping tie the blankets.

“Not only did my Art and Wellness Class participate, but many other students in art were inspired by the blankets and wanted to participate. Many students found the repetitive motion of tying cathartic and asked if they could go beyond the required two blankets and create more,” Brown said in the release.

Colson said she saw a

“Completing the blankets was a fun activity and students were touched by creating an item that would be given to a child in foster care.” — Interact Club Advisor Sarah Colson

light shine in the eyes of the students as they helped with the project.

“Completing the blankets was a fun activity and students were touched by creating an item that would be given to a child in foster care. All the blankets have a name patch where the foster child can write his/her name and the name of the blanket finisher writes his/ her name as well,.”

SUBMITTED Oberlin High School freshman Rebecca Boardman works on her blanket kit. Blanket kits were purchased by Oberlin Rotary Club as part of the “My Very Own Blanket” organization. The project aims to warm the heart of every child in the foster care system with a blanket.