A sock monkey peers over the top of a fleece blanket, rolled up and tied with a pink ribbon. Children scream with delight as they scramble for a seat playing musical chairs. Free hot dogs, coffee and cookies tempt browsing parents as they choose from the many handmade and gently used blankets, jackets and other items at St. Anne's Roman Catholic Mission's Children's Day. The church, located in Ash Fork, Arizona, 54 miles west of Flagstaff and 50 miles north of Prescott, is playing host to Blankets 4 Kids, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that collects and distributes blankets, scarves and hats to needy families in the Prescott area.
The brainchild of Ron Campbell of Prescott, Blankets 4 Kids serves organizations throughout the surrounding areas, including Head Start, Women's Shelters, Pregnancy Centers, Police and Sheriff's Departments and local churches to name a few. Blankets, hats and scarves are collected from drop-off points throughout Prescott and Chino Valley, see http://blankets4kids.org/dropboxes.html for a complete listing.
Volunteers collect, clean and sort donations. Children's blankets are "packaged" with a stuffed toy and other "surprises" tucked away inside. One little boy's face lit up when he opened his hand crocheted rainbow colored blanket and pulled out a soft yellow hat and scarf, just the right size to keep him warm next winter.
For more information, to donate money, blankets, hats or scarves, or to schedule an event for Blankets 4 Kids, contact Ron Campbell at 928-541-0483 or 4kid@cableone.net. Visit the website at http://www.blankets4kids.org.
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