A class of BYU students organized a blanket tying service project on March 27 to make blankets for Lifting Hands International.
The students organized the service activity as part of a project for a religion class. They invited friends and encouraged everyone to attend and participate in the two-hour long service project held in a classroom of the Joseph Smith Building on campus.
Savannah Bateman helped organize the project and purchased the fleece fabric used to make the blankets for donation. She said that each person in the class donated some money for the fabric, and in total they collected slightly over $200.
“We’re getting lots of people involved,” Bateman said.
As more volunteers arrived, the project overflowed into the classroom next door.
Bateman said that participating in service projects like this has been an important part of her life.
“When we turn outward and serve others, that is one of the best ways that we can serve God and be able to bless lives,” Bateman said.
Other students agreed, saying that while it is a busy time in the semester for classes, this service project provided a meaningful opportunity to look outside of themselves.
“This is a pretty busy week for me, but scheduling these two hours tonight is a nice way to stop focusing on all my stuff and do a fun activity that is helping someone,” Chloe Harmer, a class member, said.
Alexis Abney agreed that the sacrifice of time was well worth it.
“As college students, it’s really easy to get stuck on our own problems and so it’s nice to think about others,” Abney said.
With over 30 volunteers in attendance, the group worked together to cut blanket size pieces of fleece, then cut and tie the ends to create the blankets.
Together, class members and friends tied 26 fleece blankets to donate to the organization Lifting Hands International.
According to The Lifting Hands International website, these blankets will be donated to meet the needs of refugees all over the world.
“With so many of us here, we’re all just doing a little bit of work while these blankets are going to help someone in need,” Harmer said.
At the end of the project, student Scott Curtis volunteered to drop the finished blankets off to the organization.
“Jesus Christ taught us to serve other people, and so it’s important to do that,” Curtis said about the project. “It’s just a cool opportunity to bring people together and serve.”