Thank you notes received

I wanted to share this thank you note we received at Headquarters. It's
meant for all of you and your blanketeers! Please pass it along!

Dear Project Linus,

My son and I wanted to thank you so much for a blanket given to him by his
school guidance counselor.

Just days before this school year started, his aunt, who had long been
suffering from cancer, passed away.

It was a difficult start to the school year, the children in the family
often being lost in the shuffle of funeral arrangements, beginning-of-school
meetings, and the like. My son has difficulties at school anyways, and all of
the hubbub served to increase his anxiety about a new school year.

On several different occasions, something happened at school to remind him
of his aunt's death, and as his Hospice Counselor has suggested, the fact that
I am ill (though not terminally so) worries him greatly. Combine that with
worry about his youngest cousin, and this very sensitive little guy found
himself overwhelmed by emotion.

He went to the school library one day and asked for help in finding books
about cancer. He began to cry, remembering his aunt. A teacher took him to the
guidance counselor, who talked to him about cancer, and who gave him one of
your wonderful blankets, backed with soft, cuddly green fleece (his favorite
color, no less). Special permission was granted for him to carry the blanket
to school every day in his backpack.

The blanket also comes home with him every day, and he sleeps with it every
night now. (I might add it's a nice change from his "baby" blanket left over
from pre-school days :-)

I can't tell you the comfort your blanket has given my son during a very
difficult time. He feels so special not only that he was given such a warm,
fuzzy, feel-good thing, but that someone unknown to him cares about children
enough to have made the blanket. He's so proud of his blanket!

When he first brought the blanket home and I found the tag on it, I myself
got a little teary-eyed. I found your website - somehow I had never heard of
your organization before - and then I had a really good cry reading about
all of the projects going on, and the letters from others about your blankets.
Recent world events, and personal ones, have made me question the very
nature of humanity lately. The gift of one of your blankets to my son has helped
to restore my faith in the goodness of human nature.

I hope ever blanketeer realizes it is never "just a blanket". The comfort
you have provided in a time of sorrow will not be forgotten.

With heartfelt thanks,
a mom and son


Mary C. Balagna
Project Linus National Vice-president
Central IL Chapter Coordinator