By Lauren Wanko
Correspondent
Splashes of color cover John F. Kennedy Elementary School’s gym floor as tiny hands work diligently to create blankets for sick strangers.
“It feels helpful and it feels wonderful to help people,” said third-grader Joshua Karabell.
“I think it’s really great to know that I am making a small difference in someone’s life and helping them through something that’s really hard for them,” said Megan Vizzard.
It’s called Cozies 4 Chemo. Fourteen-year-old Vizzard came up with the idea two years ago when her cousin was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She made her a fleece blanket for chemotherapy treatments. What started with one blanket has since turned into about 2,100. The non-profit donates blankets to both children and adults battling cancer. They’ve reached 29 states so far, Canada and even England.
“I don’t think a lot of people understand how much help it gives them and how much comfort and kind of strength it gives them to know people care about it,” Vizzard said.
“It would be really nice if I was one of those sick people, people were giving nice stuff to me, so that’s why it feels nice to do other things for them,” said second-grader Elijah Franks.
When asked what the best part is for him, Karabell said, “That people don’t have to live in the cold because they’re going through treatments.”
Cozies 4 Chemo now has a small army of volunteers — sports teams, community service groups, schools. This is the third year John F. Kennedy Elementary School in West Berlin has assembled a gym full of students — mostly third-graders. The school’s teachers, along with parents, donate the material.
The kids start with two pieces of fleece, one on top of the other. The teachers cut around the edges to create fringes and then the students double knot them.
When asked why he thinks it’s so important for the kids to start doing this in second and third grade, Principal Michael Murphy said, “Well we also have a responsibility to produce quality citizens and good people.”
“Well I think one, there isn’t a family out there that hasn’t been touched by this disease and once the kids work on it they take ownership to the blankets and it gives them a good feeling,” said third grade teacher Peggy Farlow.
“When you do it the first time, it makes you want to do it over and over again,” said third-grader Nyla Franks.
Megan’s mom thinks the blankets offer a sense of comfort these kids understand.
“They get what this blanket’s gonna do for the person that’s getting it because they all have their blankets at home or what they like,” Jeanna Vizzard said.
Third-grader Kaitlyn Keenan says she gets sad sometimes when she thinks about those battling cancer.
“I feel bad for them because they’re sick and they’re getting cold and don’t have something to keep them warm,” she said.
Jacqueline Dever thinks it’s important that her kids make these blankets. Her own mother is fighting pancreatic cancer.
“They need to learn that compassion because you never know who the next person who may be battling cancer is,” she said.
These blankets will be delivered to a hospital next week, just in time for the holidays.