The Linus Connection offers warm comfort for children of broken homes
CONNIE SWINNEY • PICAYUNE STAFF
KINGSLAND — Each year, hundreds of local children lose everything when their families fall apart, so The Linus Connection volunteers offer something simple to try to restore a sense of security for those youths: handmade blankets and quilts.
Through the local program, affiliated with an Austin chapter, dozens of ladies from across the Highland Lakes design and craft blankets for youngsters served by Court Appointed Special Advocates of the Highland Lakes Area, based in Kingsland, the Family Crisis Center in Marble Falls, First United Methodist Church of Marble Falls and the Hill Country Children’s Advocacy Center in Burnet.
“We have the quilted, the crocheted. We make all sizes,” said Edee Walters, coordinator of The Linus Connection that serves children in Burnet, Llano, Lampasas and adjacent counties. “Everybody has different patterns. They’re all colors. The brighter, the better.”
Before his death, famed comic-strip artist Charles Schulz gave The Linus Connection permission to use images of his “Peanuts” character Linus, who is known for his ever-present security blanket.
Since 1999, the program has donated about 44,000 blankets in Central Texas.
The Kingsland-based group, active for the past 10 years, has donated 550 blankets so far this year. Walters, who makes monthly checks to local child-services organizations, recently delivered about 30 blankets and quilts to the advocacy center.
“We keep them in a treasure chest. We always make sure each child and their family member sees the poem that is attached to each blanket. It’s quite lovely,” said Pam Rodgers, advocacy center volunteer and special projects coordinator.
Each blanket or quilt comes with a “Made with tender-loving care by The Linus Connection” label as well as the standard Linus Connection poem that includes the excerpt, “this child is covered with warmth and love.”
“(Children) have a forensic interview (when taken from a home due to abuse or neglect), which is most times difficult for the child,” Rodgers said.
She encourages these children to pick a blanket or quilt soon after their interview with law enforcement and social services.
“Sometimes, the kids don’t have a lot of control in their lives. Picking their own blanket can give them a sense of control,” she said. “The whole point is to add to the child’s comfort level.”
The Linus Connection program relies on volunteers and provides donation boxes for yarn, blanket materials and knitting supplies at the child-services locations they serve as well as First Baptist Church locations in Marble Falls and Kingsland and St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church and First United Methodist Church, both in Marble Falls.
To donate supplies or volunteer with The Linus Connection, call Walters at (325) 388-9346.
connie@thepicayune.com