Goal exceeded for quilt-a-thon

Project Linus Yuma Chapter would like to thank the community of Yuma, our sponsors and blanketeers who helped to make our 7th semi-annual quilt-a-thon a great success.
 
As a 100 percent volunteer, non-profit organization, our mission is to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer "blanketeers." It is also our mission to provide a rewarding and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups in local communities, for the benefit of children.
 
We work year-round in our homes and monthly workshops to make blankets for children in need of a blanket hug. We cannot express how important these blankets are to the children. We have been told by many agencies how our blankets help tear down walls when they initially meet with a child to give them their blanket. The fear goes out of their eyes and a smile spreads across their face.
 
Our February quilt-a-thon was the best yet. What a tremendous success. We far exceeded our expectations and goal of 400 quilts and afghans with a total count  of 661. We had a total of 127 ladies and gentlemen participate at the Shilo Inn.
 
A very special "thank you" to Shilo Inn for providing their support and space for us to work in; without their support and sponsorship, we could not accomplish the work. Thank you.
 
Thank you to the news media for putting the word out for us. Thanks to Jennifer Silberstein at KAWC and Darin Fenger at The Sun for the wonderful article on our quilt-a-thon. The exposure brought Project Linus tremendous response from the community which, in turn, helped to make our quilt-a-thon a greater success.
 
We would like to thank our local quilt stores for their continued support. Each store continues to be an official "year round" drop off site for blankets and fabric donations. Thank you, Log Cabin Quilts, Quilting Bee and Grandma Jo's.
 
We would like to thank the community for the wonderful response of donations of not only blankets and afghans but also the contributions of fabric, batting, yarn, gift certificates and checks. These donations help in the continued effort of making more blankets for the children of our community year round.
 
A warm thanks goes out to the volunteer "blanketeers" who helped organize and plan this quilt-a-thon. Without them, none of this would be possible. Also a special thanks to all those wonderful ladies in our community who work at home making beautiful blankets year-round and dropping them off at our drop-off sites.
 
Project Linus Yuma Chapter also wishes to extend a big thank you to the following businesses in our community for their support. Your generous gift donations helped to make the quilt-a-thon a great success - Coyote Den, Chuck's Stage Stop, Geronimo's Restaurant, Desert Dugs Pizza, Texas Roadhouse, Golden Corral, Dairy Queen No. 4, Mandarin Palace, Olive Garden, Log Cabin Quilts, Quilting Bee, Segwayuma Tours, Dillard's and Yuma's Fantastic Cuts.
 
"The best kind of sleep under heaven above is under a blanket handmade with love."

--
SANDY SMITH
Project Linus Yuma
Chapter Coordinator