Group hopes to give grieving children hope

By PAULA BARR
Daily Journal Staff Writer

Published: Saturday, November 29, 2008
Updated: Saturday, November 29, 2008 6:28 AM CST

Just as Charlie Brown’s friend Linus did, members of an initiative called Project Linus understand the comfort a favorite blanket can give a child.

Thanks to the St. Louis Chapter of Project Linus, children who are grieving each will soon have a special blanket or afghan of their own. Chapter members donated the items for children in HospiceCare Inc.’s new support organization for kids, called Carter’s Clubhouse. The group has its first meeting Monday night.

“This is just such a wonderful program,” said Myra Moscowitz, coordinator for the chapter. “We were happy to be able to get involved.” 

The women made the blankets, said Gayla Roberts, HospiceCare Inc.’s director of bereavement services.

“We are so thankful,” Roberts said. “The blankets are absolutely beautiful, and we’re honored.”

Established in 1995, Project Linus’ 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.”

The group was organized after Karen Loucks read an article in “Parade Magazine” that featured a child who had gone through intensive chemotherapy. The child was helped through those treatments by her security blanket. Loucks decided to provide homemade security blankets to Denver’s Rocky Mountain Children’s Cancer Center, and Project Linus was born.

The name comes from the Peanuts character Linus, who was never without his trusty security blanket. Project Linus now consists of hundreds of local chapters and thousands of volunteers across the United States. As of Thanksgiving week, the organization had given more than 2,600,000 blankets to children in need.

For more information on Project Linus, go online to http://www.projectlinus.org.

Carter’s Clubhouse is named in honor of Carter James Rhodes, the son of a HospiceCare Inc., nurse. Carter died unexpectedly at five months of age from acute lymphocytosis of infancy. The disease caused an over-abundance of white blood cells in his body.

HospiceCare Inc. started the Clubhouse after realizing there is little grief support available for children. The group will meet from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. the first Monday of each month in the North College Center on the campus of Mineral Area College (MAC). There is no cost, however, interested children must be enrolled by calling 573-701-2504.

Carter’s Clubhouse will give children a place to share their experiences with other children who have similar stories. The program will have activities such as storytelling, letter writing, drama, art, music, and crafts, which are used to help children express their grief.

Anyone who wants to volunteer with Carter’s Clubhouse are asked to call Roberts at 573-701-2504. Donations may be sent to Roberts at Carter’s Clubhouse, P. O. Box 1000, Park Hills, MO  63601. Make checks payable to Carter’s Clubhouse.

Paula Barr is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 573-431-2010, ext. 172 or at pbarr@dailyjournalonline.com.

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